


The Feather and The Redemption

by ImfictionWriting



Series: The Feather [4]
Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: Babyfic, But Lucifer Fixes It!, Demon Steel Science, Demons, F/M, Featherpreg, Growing Up, Hell, Lilim | Children of Lilith, Lilith (Lucifer TV) - Freeform, Menstruation discussion, Mention of Historical Crimes, Mentions of Historical Punishments, No One is permitted to hurt a child when Lucifer and Maze is around, Post-Season/Series 04, Pregnancy, Redemption, She broke Hell, The Silver City (Lucifer TV), Tia Ella, presumptions, yay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:27:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 32,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25089913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImfictionWriting/pseuds/ImfictionWriting
Summary: Time moves on and Trixie grows older.  Chloe finally discovers what The Feather caused and in Hell Lucifer discovers that pretty much everything he believed was wrong.   Lucifer will need to use all the skills gained from his Friends and Family to be able to return Home.
Relationships: Chloe Decker/Lucifer Morningstar
Series: The Feather [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1749220
Comments: 14
Kudos: 65





	The Feather and The Redemption

**Author's Note:**

> Lucifer TV Show Characters not mine. Originals are. Just having fun.
> 
> Part Four of a Five Part Story.
> 
> All constructive criticism will be thoughtfully considered with a great deal of thanks in advance.  
> Please tell me of any and all oopsies. I do hope someone finds this entertaining.
> 
> Tag warning at end notes. Please read the End Note as this story contains the imagery of a historical crime committed against a child.

Los Angeles, Earth.

“... and if we didn't have insects and bacteria we would all be dead.” Trixie Espinoza looked up from where she had been coloring in a Christmas beetle drawing on the side of her completed project to see why her Mother had stopped talking with her. Chloe was sitting on the couch, cup of cooling coffee in hand staring into the middle distance. Trixie knew her Mom was sad about Lucifer, she was too. But lately it was like living with a zombie. “Mom!”

Chloe looked up and focused on her daughter and smiled.

“Yes Monkey?”

“If we didn't have bugs we would all die...”

“That's nice, babe.” Chloe said staring back into her mug. 'What does being a miracle mean, anyway?' she thought. Trying to unravel the information she had learned the day before.

'That's nice. That's nice!' Trixie thought, it made her so ..mad that her Mom didn't care. After all, without bugs there would be no soil to grow plants. No plants to feed animals. No poo to fertilize the plants and no bugs to turn the poo into soil. It was THE most important fact of life since she had learned about the planets and how they spun around The Sun without falling like marbles. If Mars had bugs there would be trees ...if it had an atmosphere too.

She looked up from her coloring to her Mom again. It made her sad that her Mom was sad. But it wasn't Trixie's fault she was miserable. Trixie wondered how long she could talk before her Mother listened. Using her tablet she quickly searched for a list of bug names.

“Beetles, Ants, Flies, Butterflies, Bees, Ladybird Beetles, Mantis, Mosquito, Fleas, Dragon Flies, Crickets...” She paused to look up, her Mom was still searching for Waldo in her mug. “Termites, cica...cicado... idea.” These names were getting tricky, “True bugs, earwigs … oh yuck, disgusting, do they go in your ears. Those claws look scarier than Maze! Lepi...um ...whatever, um, Honey Bees, Stink bugs...” Her Mom was definitely not listening. “Ugly bugs, Sh...shit Bugs,” she got more confident, “Dick bugs, Fuck bugs!” She couldn't think of anymore rude words in a hurry. “Mom bugs, Baby bugs, Dad bugs, Maze bugs, Lucifer bugs...”

“What?” Chloe said looking up, she had been in her own world and looked up to answer Trixie's question. Something about Lucifer.

Trixie didn't know where it came from but suddenly she was filled with intense fury.

“YOU ARE NOT LISTENING TO ME!” She shouted. Her hand gripped around the marker she had been coloring with and as if possessed she threw the marker at her Mother, hitting her shoulder before it bounced to the floor.

Both Chloe and Trixie looked at the marker before looking up at each other.

“I...I...” 'I'm sorry' Trixie felt.

“GO to your room!” Chloe said standing up.

Trixie felt angry again and stormed to her room.

“I HATE YOU.” she said as she tried to slide her door closed with as big a bang as possible. She didn't really hate her Mom, she hated the feeling of being ignored. She opened her door again deciding to tell her Mom everything that was wrong.

“I don't hate you, you are just BEING MEAN! Everyone is sad Lucifer is gone, not just you!” She slide the door closed again. And leaned against it breathing hard.

Chloe walked towards the door. Trixie had never behaved like this before. Being told that she was hated by her was a blow, but Chloe could remember her own teenage arguments with her own Mother and understood that what was said wasn't how she had really felt. But still, there was a grain of truth in her child's words. She had been so consumed with her own sadness that she hadn't given enough attention to Trixie's. The last year had been tumultuous for her, for them. Meeting and becoming engaged to the worlds oldest psychopath and discovering he was a criminal who had manipulated her. Lucifer, Rome, Kinley, Eve. The last year she hadn't been the Mother to Trixie that she wanted to be. The last few months in particular she had been somewhat depressed, grieving in a way. Numb to everything but her own pain. She had tried so hard not to let it show, to push it to the back burner and carry on. But she could absolutely recognize that she hadn't been herself, lack of energy and interest in going to the gym, she hadn't been to the hairdresser despite her obvious darker roots showing. Her and Trixie hadn't spent any quality time together besides going to Linda's and hanging out at the pool and at 'that' party.

She still hadn't dealt with the Lawyers who had been calling her about Lucifer's 'Will'. She knew he wasn't dead, she knew where he was. She was grateful that Lucifer had thought of them so generously, but she wished that it wasn't real, that he was here instead of money, which she supposed the calls had been about. She could deal with being frugal, she had done that for so many years. But she just couldn't deal without him. She couldn't deal with it being her fault. She took a deep breath. She would have to deal.

“Trixie.” She said up against the door.

“I don't want to talk with you. Good night!” It hurt but she couldn't help the smile at the added 'Goodnight' even angry her daughter was thoughtful.

“Good night, Monkey. I love you.” There was no response so she went back to the coffee table, picked up her mug and took it to the sink. She would deal with the Kitchen in the morning. Trixie was just under one month away from her birthday. She would be twelve years old, a pre-teen on the cusp of growing up. While she would always be her baby she would no longer be a child. It stunned her to think where all that time had gone. Chloe had often heard that kids grew up faster these days and that certainly seemed to be true of her Trixie, who had a fierce, free and fun spirit. Chloe and Dan had always felt so lucky that they had never really had any 'Terrible Two's' to battle, saying that they had experienced enough stress when she had been born. But perhaps while they had sailed through that stage, it would be the 'Teenage rebellion' stage that would sink them.

Knowing that it was all normal behavior didn't stop Chloe from crying that night.

Two weeks later Chloe was at the precinct standing at her desk and had just sent Linda and Amenadiel a quick text wishing Charlie a 'Happy Third of a Year Birthday'. She would have forgotten if the lawyers appointment the day before hadn't prompted her to think about the date. They had decided against a get together the coming weekend, as they didn't want to 'jinx' anything. Just in case. Charlie was also being fussy as a tooth had worn through two days ago. Chloe and Dan had instead decided to do something together as a family and go hiking around Griffith Park, visit the Observatory and then find something to eat nearby. She needed to get out and be active. All the wallowing with the lack of exercise and her jeans were feeling tight. Then Trixie would stay with Dan after that for the rest of the weekend as usual. She factored in that she would need Sunday to really go through the heavy packet of information the Lawyer had given her.

She had just put down her phone when it rang. The caller display had announced it was Trixie's school and as always it gave her a sinking feeling. She sat down, took a deep breath and answered the call before the third ring.

“Hello, is this Chloe Decker?” The woman's voice asked.

“Yes, I'm Chloe... is everything alright. Is Trixie OK?”

“Hello, oh, yes Trixie is alright. I'm sorry to alarm you. My name is Ashley Bester, I'm the school nurse at your daughters school.” Now Chloe was alarmed.

“Is she alright?” The call was unexpected and as soon as she asked again, she felt silly for repeating herself.

“Yes, please don't worry she is alright. I'm just giving a courtesy call, Trixie got her period today...”

“She got her period?” Chloe couldn't help interrupting. She took a deep breath and exhaled rapidly. “Is she OK?” 'Well I guess that describes the moodiness over the last couple months' Chloe thought. This had probably been building up for a while.

“Yes, she's just fine. It's to be expected at this age. She had her 'Ready Bag' with her, she just came to the office because she has a tummy ache. We have your signed permission form for Over The Counter medication administration. But like I said this is a courtesy call as Trixie said it's the first time.”

“Yes, yes off course, give her whatever she needs. Tell her I love her. Thank you for calling.”

“You're welcome Ms Decker.”

Chloe ended the call and put her head in her hands.

“Well that happened.” She said quietly to herself. She looked around for Dan and saw him heading to Ella's Lab with a file folder, she stood up and followed. They were discussing evidence from one of Dan's cases when she opened the glass door.

“Hey, Decker! Are you OK, my friend, cause you looking all... not you today.” Ella said waving her hand in a circle at Chloe's head.

“You OK Chloe?” Dan said, touching her shoulder as she sat down at one of the high stools at the desk.

“Yeah, the school just called.” That had Dan's full attention.

“What's wrong, has she called an Uber again?”

“Oh, no, Thank G...fully.”

Dan now knew the hesitation and pinched the bridge of his nose. 'What was his life, seriously?' He thought.

“It was the school nurse, Trixie got her first period.”

Dan winced and ran his hand through his hair.

“Way to go my Trixie-Girl. Give it here for Growing Up!” Ella said enthusiastically, raising her hand waiting for a 'high-five'. There were no takers. She gave a lop sided grimace and looked to the ceiling. “OK, well I'll just be...” she waved the file she was holding, “here, working while you... do your ...parent thing.”

Dan chuckled and turned back to Chloe.

“Trixie is alright, isn't she?” Dan asked.

“Yeah, she had her ready bag...” Chloe could see Dan's eyebrows press together in confusion. “Its was one of those projects from health class last year, to make a little bag, or get a pencil case to store some pads to 'be ready'.”

“Last year... but she's so small, she's not ready.”

“Hey, don't go knocking the small but perfectly formed.” Ella interrupted, her hands sweeping from her head down. “Not all of us are tall string beans.” She looked pointedly at the string-bean blonde Detective.

“Yeah, you're right, sorry.” Turning back to Chloe he added, “But she is so young.”

“She's the right age Dan.” Chloe sighed. “It's her birthday in two weeks.”

“Yeah...” Dan said rubbing his hand through his hair again.

“The worst part is I have to go and do interviews all day. I'm so close to cracking this case. I can't pick up Trixie from School today...”

“Ah, ...shit. I just picked up a double and swapped shifts for Hernandez. His son is teething. You remember...

“It's OK, Dan, I remember. That was nice of you to do.”

“Well it's only one night, tomorrow is Thursday, after school we can do something.”

“You'll be sleeping Dan...”

“Hey it's only one night, you know the rule - don't sleep past one thirty or the week is ruined. I'll be OK by the afternoon.”

Chloe smiled. “Yeah but you'll be tired and she will know if she doesn't have your full attention.'

“I can pick Trixie up today and watch her.” Ella interrupted. “Have you done the whole drug store thing yet? Cause I can't imagine that would be fun with your Mom... no matter how close you both are.” Ella said wincing, looking at her desk and widening her eyes exaggeratedly shaking her head.

“Huh?” Chloe was confused, what was the 'drug store thing'? She had been on set when she had her first period. One of the costume ladies had helped her out with supplies and after that just asked who ever was going to the supermarket to get her things. Her Dad had been so embarrassed when she'd asked. At the time her Mother had been in Canada shooting a TV movie, but Dad was such a trooper asking her exactly what she wanted. Chloe hadn't known what to ask for but quickly figured things out. With Trixie, she'd just been planning on going to the supermarket.

“You know where your Auntie, big sister or other female family friend takes you to a Drug store and you talk supplies and Candy.” Ella was puzzled, that was a 'thing', wasn't it? “I guess there is the internet now. But seriously some things need to be done in person.”

“Um”, that actually seemed ...good, Chloe thought. “I might be really late tonight.”

“Don't worry, she can stay with me. Except I'm having this crazy neighbor sitch at the moment. She has a key to your place, right?”

“Yes, but Ella, I'll pay. And call me if there are any problems.”

“Off course, I'll give you some money.” Dan added.

“Don't worry about it guys, its my treat. Don't worry guys, Tia Ella has it all sorted.” Ella nodded.

“OK, well I've got to go start these witness interviews, everything takes longer without Lucifer's Mojo to get them talking,” she missed the pointed look between the other two, “and this rookie Detective they have me field training is great, but it always takes more time than with a Senior.” The others nodded, both had experience with training others.

“Bye, Chloe.”

“Bye Decker.” Chloe waved as she left.

“Um, alright... I ah... forgot what I came here for.” Dan said looking around the lab.

“Well, start with the file you brought me.” Ella said smiling, shoulder bumping the Detective.

“Sorry, it's just... Wow Trixie is twelve! It's odd how time goes. They have been both the longest AND shortest twelve plus years of my life.” Dan shrugged and Ella shoulder bumped him again.

“She's a great kid, Dan.”

“I know.” He smiled and looked at the name of the file on the high desk in front of him “I, um. Actually I needed to know if you had any matches on the prints and fibers on the Alvarez shooting from last Saturday?”

Ella turned to her computer and keyboard. A few rapid key strokes and mouse swipes later. “Photographed, signed, authorized and emailed straight to your email.” She grinned.

“You OK, Ella? Usually you would have done that by Tuesday afternoon.” Dan was joking but it was true, usually he didn't have to ask.

“Sorry Dan, I've been distracted. Ahhh!” Ella said pressing up off the desk with both hands, “It's so frustrating Dan! I've been working on a side project.” She opened one of the drawer and pulled out a Ziploc bag of bone pieces. “I literally have evidence to solve a 850 year old archaeological mystery and I can't do anything about it!” She waved the bones at Dan. “I could write my thesis on this, finally get my Doctorate!”

“Are those bones in a freezer bag?” Dan asked. Not unheard of, but unconventional. Ella was usually 'by the book' when it came to evidence.

“Oh don't worry, Dan, they aren't human. I asked Maze to use to cut up a ham leg with one of her 'Demon Blades'.”

“OK... and how does that relate to an archaeological mystery?”

Ella leaned over to her laptop and with a few mouse swipes and clicks there were several pictures of bone fragments, one was a close up with measure guide next to it. Another showing the thirteen sliced bone fragments, not too dissimilar to the ones in the Ziploc bag. Smaller in circumference and on average half to an inch of bone.

“Well they date from about 850 years ago, but they were discovered in the 1970's by an archaeological group at a dig site in France when they were preparing the area for a freeway. They are from the Radius and Ulna. Started above the wrist to below the elbow.” Ella pointed to the areas on Dan's arm. The thought was enough to give him a full body shiver of revulsion.

“You think Maze did that? What... Slice off a mans hand like a deli slicer?” It made Dan feel nauseous to think about.

“Well you see that is the mystery. We studied this case as an example of a 'forensic mystery' as part of my Masters. It's like a ...huge big deal thing. There is no known way to make a cut as exact with technology of the time. It was a big deal at the time testing Toledo steel and Damascus Steel. It all leaves distinctive marks, striations in the bone. They even tried Guillotines, but those hadn't been invented at the time the bones ...and anyway, what's the point of trying things that hadn't been invented yet?” Ella's voice raised in volume and she raised her hands in the air, pacing around her desk. “The Demon steel on pig bone cut like a laser, true all the way with no force trauma from being hit. Just like the bones that were found. It's as if everything it touches just splits away...” And that was the mystery, had the bone fragments been mis-dated? What cut them. Why? It blew Ella's mind that she now knew some of the answers.

“Just a minute Ella, Maze, or some other Demon cut a mans arm off like a salami slicer?” Dan raised his hands to his face and pressed against his skin before turning back around to face the Lab Tech who had been pacing around the main table. Bag of bones in hand.

“Well it was both arms actually, the bone pieces wouldn't all fit on one arm, Dan. And not all of the pieces survived being buried all that time. Animals and decay ya know.” Ella said as if Dan would possibly know that. “I can't wait to ask her but she has been gone on Bounties more than she's been home the last week. And last weekend I had...other things to do. I've been texting with Eve and she finished her Middle Eastern tour on Tuesday and flies back from London on Friday. I'm hoping that Eve being back in LA means that Maze is around more and I can ask.”

“Yeah I'd like to know what a person has to do to get that treatment.”

“Actually that's the bit I don't need to know, Dan.” Ella said looking up at him, grimacing.

“Well, it looks like you might get your wish, Ella.” Dan said using the file he was holding to point outside the lab room into the main office spaces at the Demon who had just walked up to Chloe's desk. Dan was horrified to see the widely grinning Ella waving and then beckoning the Demon to her lab. Help him the Demon was walking towards them and smiling. Dan thought he absolutely should have realized she wasn't human long before he had. She had way too many teeth. Or Maybe they were just a bit too pointy. Or perhaps too white. Even for LA.

“What's up? Ellen, Douche.” Maze said grinning at the Detective while she moved around to the other side of the table. Leaning up against the back desk, elbows propped up on the high desk as she relaxed leaning back.

Dan's eyes narrowed, Maze had direct view of the door to the lab. She may seem relaxed, but he could see she had placed herself in that position to have an unimpeded view of the station.

“Her name is Ella, Maze.” Dan said standing straighter.

“Actually it's Eleanora. What?” she added when she saw Dan's questioning look. “My Great Great Grandma on my Mothers side was Irish, ...it's complicated.” She rolled her eyes and waved her hands around. “I'm named after her. But without all the wiggles over the letters... And less vowels.” She looked to Maze. “Actually my Grandma used to call me Ellen.”

Maze scowled, she didn't care and this was getting boring. “So why did you call me in,” She narrowed her eyes, then raised her eyebrows, “whadda ya want?” She moved forward and placed her hands on the central desk and leaned down and in. “Is it to talk about how crazy Decker has been lately?” Hers eyes gleamed with mirth and she slowly grinned. “She's been all moody and annoying. She's so boring these days. Linda can't drink anymore. There's only you two,” She pointed to Ella and Dan, “and let's face it. The three of us have had our moments, but hardly life of the party.”

Dan kept quiet, simmering, he knew what she meant by moments.

“Hey, I'm sorry I kissed Eve,” Ella, stepped back quickly with hands up when Maze started growling. “Hey! It was the Molly ...and the Coke and the Bomb and Lucifer was dying and I'm totally straight. Like totally straight.”

“You kissed Eve?!” Dan asked.

“You know that's very interesting Dan, that you focus on that bit and not the drugs and Lucifer dying part ...or the Bomb!” Ella said finger pointed in his direction.

“What? I knew about the bomb and the drugs.”

Ella narrowed her eyes at him a moment before turning back to The Demon. “No, Maze. I'm not interested in Eve. But she's back on Friday. That's...” She didn't get a chance to say 'cool' as Maze had moved around the desk and was directly in front of her.

“Eve is coming back on Friday?” Scowl and simmering anger suddenly replaced with hope.

“Yeah, she said the three of us should get together and go to Lux for drinks,” Maze narrowed her eyes again. Ella rushed to finish, “I was going to go then say I had a sudden headache, or something, give you two a chance to catch up in private.” Ella added a sly wink and a nod.

“That's... that's a …nice thing to do, Ellen.” Linda had always told her that humans liked compliments. The toothy grin Ellen gave made it seem like she had said the right thing.

“That's what friends are for Maze.”

Maze hadn't thought of the other women as a friend before. It had always made her uncomfortable that she had displayed her faith so prominently with that... necklace. That she was so positive towards Lucifer's... Father. The Mother-smiting Bastard.

“OK, but why did you call me in here, it wasn't to talk about Eve was it?”

“Oh, no, it was about these!” Ella held up her Ziploc baggie and grinned.

Maze tilted her head one way, then slowly the other, “Ahhhmmm.... and?” She shrugged her shoulders.

Ella's enthusiasm wilted slightly. “They are the bones from the test.” Maze raised her left eyebrow in a 'go on' fashion. “From the other week.” Ella used her other had in a chopping motion. “You know when we killed Linda's chopping board.”

“Oh, is that what happened to it. The new one is plastic... I don't like it. It's lime ...green.” Grimacing Maze leaned back against the far bench she'd returned to. Her right index finger twirled with a 'get on with it' movement.

“Were you in France around 1200 to 1300 AD?” At Mazes raised eyebrows and shrug Ella elaborated, about 750-850 years ago?”

“Oh, for ...Go.... Oh for Pet... oh for whatever, Maze! Did you chop off that Man's hand like a Deli Slicer?” Dan asked, slapping the file he had in his hand on the desk.

Maze stood up to her full height, “What are you talking about... Dan. I've been bounty hunting the last week. I roughed the guy up a little, but he still has his hands. He's down in the holding cell now if you want to check.”

“No Maze, not now, 800 years ago, in France.” Ella added, pointed look at Dan. Who raised his hands up. She turned back to face The Demon. “This isn't an interrogation, just asking.”

“Yeah, well I've been to a lot of places at a lot of times.”

“Yeah, but Lucifer used to bring you to Earth sometimes, didn't he? Was one of those times to France? In the Middle ages?”

Maze looked puzzled for a moment before smiling, “Oh yeah, the stew! It was delicious...”

“Oh God, please don't tell me you cooked his hands?” Dan whispered as he interrupted grimacing at the idea.

“Noooo!” Maze recoiled at the idea, for a moment.

“Dan!” Ella said at the same time.

“... But I like the way you think Dan, that's such a good idea. Then feed it back to them with a straw!” Maze widened her eyes at the idea grinning madly. “You think like a Demon, Dan!”

“OK, that's it, ya know? Maze, … next time. Ella, give me the Reader's Digest version... maybe. Actually better not. I gotta go work.” Dan rubbed his face, one hand lingering over his mouth a moment before grabbing his file and leaving.

Maze snickered.

“You've got to stop screwing with him...”

“Ah, he's too easy.” Maze smirked.

“Seriously though what was in the stew?”

Maze's eyes widened for a moment. “Oh, I don't know, cow ...deer or horse maybe. But it was delicious. But the bread had ...stuff in it. It was still OK, you know, but crunchy. Lucifer said that was a hanging offense...”

Ella nodded. She knew in times past that was what people did to the bakers who added weight to bread by using cheaper ingredients than flour. “But why do you remember what you ate as a first memory when we asked about that time?”

The Demon shrugged, that was an easy question. “Demons don't have to eat but when we do and it's good we remember it. It was really good stew...”

'Well that sets off a whole other set of unexpected questions' Ella thought. “So what happened with the man, why cut his arms?”

Maze scowled. “He was a Special Case...”

“What? ...What does that mean?” She asked nervously.

Maze sat down on a stool at the short end of the middle desk. Ella joined her on the nearest side.

Maze took a deep breath. “We had been ...in an Inn, actually mostly it was just a big house, Lucifer was drinking and talking with everyone who would come near. Lucifer... you know?” Ella nodded. She took another deep breath. “We heard screaming and shouting outside. A Woodsman's Dog had found the body of a girl in the Forest. The woodsman had wrapped her in furs to bring her to the village. But later... Lucifer and me, we... well you know Lucifer, needs to be involved with everything, we were able to see …she was only a little girl. Smaller than Trixie when I first met her...” Maze pressed her eyes closed for a long moment and sighed. “She was broken Ella...”

“Broken?” Ella leaned forward, hands on the desk, she reached forward to touch her friend but at the last moment thought better and dropped them back down. She couldn't help it, suspecting where the story would go her eyes started to tear up.

“Yeah, ...broken is the only word. There was a lot of blood. It was obvious it had been ...a man. The people of the Village were in uproar. There had been another girl go missing a month earlier. But they found ...pieces and thought it was wolves. That used to be ...Wolves would hunt small children that were alone or away from a group, people would sometimes see it happen but the attack would be too quick.” Ella grimaced, tears now dropping down onto the desk. “The people of the Village got together to form a, ...a ...posse. People always think it's some stranger when it comes to ...these things. It's a wonder they didn't accuse Lucifer, but he'd hadn't left the house for the three days we were there. And it turned out the girl had gone missing the evening before. In the crowd …there was a man. Lucifer noticed straight away. There was something about his face. His eyes... you know?” Ella nodded. “We followed the man as he joined the others, they were going to look in the surrounding forests for 'strangers'.” Maze rolled her eyes. Humans were so dumb sometimes. “As soon as we were alone, Lucifer did his thing. Got the man to confess. The man's position in society meant that he would never have been suspected ...or punished. He had been able to travel and had hurt many. Leaving them in the Forrest for the scavengers. Lucifer said I could make one cut for every child he had ...murdered. Twenty Three cuts before he even realized he had dropped the bag of money he had been trying to bribe Lucifer with to keep quiet. I told him I would be waiting for him. Lucifer ordered him to confess and I tied up what was left of him and left him in the middle of the Village Square. He was in Hell before we got back. They hung him that night.”

Ella was quietly weeping.

“Thank you Maze.”

The demon swiftly pushed back, away from the desk and stood up from the stool.

“Why are you thanking me? Aren't you disgusted that I'm a demon, that we tortured that man? Lucifer could have made him confess without cutting him.”

“It seems like it was justice to me, Maze.” Ella reached over to the paper towel dispenser. It was rough as sandpaper but the box of tissues was too far away. “Would you do the same today?”

“Lucifer wouldn't ask me to.”

“Yeah, but would he ask you to do that today if he was here?”

“He wouldn't have to. Earth, most of it isn't as ...wild and crazy now. After that the Special Cases got locks.” At Ella's puzzled but encouraging nod, The Demon continued. “Now you have Detectives and DNA and taped confessions. There are still bad people, and people who pay to get away. But people like ...that are punished now when they are found, there is punishment now before they come to us. Some things can't be run from. And Lucifer has The Detective and you and even The Douche.

Ella chuckled. “And you, Maze. I'm not disgusted because you are a Demon or have tortured people. You don't do it for fun do you?”

“Well at times it has been fun. When they are in Hell nothing is permanent, they keep resetting and are 'fixed' again.” Maze scowled again. “I don't ...I don't understand you. Why don't you hate me?” Maze sat back down again.

“Off course, I don't hate you, you're my friend...”

“But your Bible says to hate me.”

Ella sat back in her chair. “The Bible has some interesting stories to tell. But like most books it's written by the victors...”

Maze guffawed and rolled her eyes. “You bet your ass it is.”

“If The Bible was written today by people who know you, you'd be like, ...Mazikeen Patron Demon of Justice for hurt Children. Or Patron Demon of ...Criminal Capture...”

“What?”

“Patron Demon of Bounty Hunters. Yeah I like that one.”

“I don't like children, Ella.” Maze said her brows furrowed and mouth set into a hard line.

“What are you talking about? You love Trixie and she absolutely adores you. You would do anything for Charlie. You are his favorite Auntie. If Dan or I had a baby, you would so love them too. And if Eve had a baby...”

“I was going to kill Cain...”

“Yeah... nice arms but he was a freakin' cold blooded, psychopathic manipulative bastard. I would have tried to kill him if I'd known about him too... I blame him on Adam's genes. Eve is lovely.” Maze narrowed her eyes again and subvocalized a growl. Ella rolled her eyes. “Seriously Maze, I'm totally straight.” She looked at the clock. “I'm also totally hungry. Wanna grab lunch? We can talk about this whole Demons don't need to eat thing.” Maze rolled her eyes and stood up. Ella quickly shut down her computers and after a brief moment of thought threw the Ziploc bag into the Yellow Biomedical Waste bin. “I've seen you have cuts and bruises … and your hair used to be shorter.” She washed her hands at the sink and after a quick moisturizing grabbed her handbag out of the drawer she kept it in. “Hair doesn't grow without energy.” She opened the glass door, and held it open for The Demon. “Oh, what about emotional energy, or spiritual energy...”

“You are so weird Ellen.” Maze said grinning. She put her arm around the other woman's shoulder and they walked up the stairs to the Exit level.

“You aren't the first, or the last to say that Maze.” Ella laughed too.

Trixie listened to the voice message from her Mom and tried not to be annoyed. Her parents had important jobs but she was tired, achy and felt a bit yucky in general and would have preferred to just go home and watch some Netflix. Hitching her backpack up on both shoulders she looked around the schools car pickup area. Ella was leaning against her car scanning the area and gave a broad toothy grin and waved excitedly when she focused on her young friend. Trixie smiled back and gave a brief wave when she saw Ella. More slowly than usual she walked over to the only car she knew of that was older and crappier than her Dads.

“Hey Chiquita!”

“Hi Ella.” She gave Ella a half hug before walking to the back to get in.

“Where ya going, sit up front with me.” Ella hitched her head to the side pointing to the front.

“Mom makes me sit in the back.”

“Do I look like your Mom?”

Trixie slowly grinned. Lucifer let her sit in the front but his car only had two seats. Maybe today won't be so bad after all.

It was bad. Absolutely mortifying. Standing in the middle of CVS talking about wings versus no wings overnight pads and tampons was awful. Just when she thought nothing could be more embarrassing there were all the people giving her smiles as if they knew what was going on. Because they did, she supposed, which made it all the worse. Ugh. Afterwards standing in the back of the store talking about generic versus trade names for medicines was better, she found that was interesting. It should totally be illegal to sell something saying it was for back pain when the next box over with the same stuff in it said it was for period pains! They ended up choosing the pills that were the smallest and easiest to swallow. “Pro tip.” Ella had said. The candy aisle was better even if the lollipops made her sad when she looked at them and thought of Lucifer. When Ella asked her what was wrong she said she'd missed Lucifer.

“We played monopoly and had lollipops.” She pointed to ones that were similar on the shelf. “Lucifer said that the word lollipop means 'tongue slap'.” She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. “I don't want to Google that, to find out it's not true. 'Cause we were being silly that day ...and that was a silly thing to say.”

“I always keep candy bars in my office desk for Lucifer when he comes in to chat with me.” Ella said shoulder bumping her. “You know, there are two, no three things that is true about Lucifer. He never lies, he really likes sweet foods and he loves us.” Trixie smiled. She ended up choosing a pack of sour gummy worms and a pack of mini Snickers, her Mom liked those best.

Choosing a lip gloss and buying a shampoo and conditioner that smelled just like coconuts that was on sale was the best part, her Mom usually got the same fruity smelling stuff from the supermarket. When they walked past the shelf of magazines and puzzle books Ella asked her if she wanted a magazine to read, but Trixie wasn't really interested in fashion anymore. Ella had shoulder bumped her again, “You'll find another hobby, Chiquita.” By the time they got to the checkout Trixie was thinking more about the lip gloss than the pads, so she sorta got the point that Ella was making here, and it would have been sooo much worse doing this with Mom! And Trixie knew she wouldn't have got the lip gloss or the hair care products. Her Mom would have gotten some candy though. Maybe. Yeah, she would have today.

They went back to Ella's apartment to drop off her shopping when Trixie felt Ella's hand in hers tense. They were just outside Ella's door.

“Oh, mierda,” Ella said under her breath pulling on Trixie's hand so she came closer, “mi vecina está loca.” She whispered. Trixie frowned, then raised her brows.

“De veras?” Trixie asked looking at the old lady in the coat walking towards them. She didn't look that crazy.

Ella widened her eyes and nodded emphatically. She quickly unlocked her door and ushered them in before closing it behind them and leaning on the door. Finger to her lips in a 'shush' sign before turning her head to the door to hear the lady walk past them.

“Ella?” Trixie said timidly. “Is everything OK?”

Ella relaxed when there wasn't a knock. The old bat had seen them, it wouldn't be unexpected for her to knock on the door, but it seemed they were lucky today. Ella moved into the apartment and dropped her bags onto the floor near the breakfast nook.

“Oh yeah, that lady is nuts. Totally bonkers.” Ella grabbed a glass and filled it from the jug of filtered water in her fridge. “Want a drink?” she raised her glass and at Trixie's shake of her head had a long drink. “I'll just 'go' before we go.” Her head tilted towards her bathroom. The plan was to Uber back to Chloe's place and order a pizza and watch Netflix until The Detective got home.

Trixie looked around the small living room. She had been there before, but as always there was new interesting stuff to look at. “Cool!” Trixie said loudly. There was a little baby guitar on the sofa. Trixie sat down to look at it, strumming the plastic strings lightly. She didn't want to break it.

“You can play it if you want.” Ella said smiling as she walked back to the living room around the sofa and sat down next to her.

“I can't play.”

“Sure you can.” Ella reached over and placed the Ukulele in Trixie's arms. “Hold it like this.”

“But I don't know how to play...”

“Just play it. Give it a go.” Ella mimed strumming the strings with her right hand.

When Trixie did so the sound was … not right sounding.

“Perfect, your a natural, you just played a perfect A minor seventh.

“It sounds weird.”

“It's still a 'thing' even if it sounds weird.” Ella grinned. “I only started playing in the middle of last year. I can show you how to figure it out.” Ella picked up the instrument and started to play different chords and strummed once to demonstrate each sound.

“I could never learn that!”

“You can do whatever you want to do. But seriously you go on YouTube and pick a song you like and do a play along. It's like an interactive computer game, but better 'cause it's real.”

Trixie looked dubious.

“I'm serious, you can borrow my other one. I got this Tenor one a few months back,” Ella handed the instrument back to Trixie and reached down, stretching an arm under the coffee table to where she had stored her first Ukulele. She pushed aside her gaming laptop and a couple remote controls and grabbed the neck of the Concert-sized Ukulele, pulling it out.

“It's even tinier! It's so cute!” Trixie squealed loudly and excitedly. It was a little guitar perfect sized for kids, she thought.

“It's very shiny...” there was a knock on the door. She shook her head. Gave Trixie a withering look and stood up, placing the instrument on the coffee table. “If that's her, I've absolutely had it!” The next knock was louder and more insistent.

Ella stood up, rubbed behind her neck and took a deep breath. Pushing back her shoulders, shoring her posture and her 'nerve' she strode to the door, opening it during the next volley of knocks.

“Just what are you doing to that child. I heard screaming...”

Ella blinked slowly parsing what had been said and the accusation insinuated.

“ENOUGH!” Ella said loudly, very loudly. She'd shouted. Trixie was watching from her position looking over the back of the couch, the shout made her duck down lower into the soft cushions giving her just enough space to look over. She had never heard Ella shout before and really wanted to watch but arguing was a little bit scary. That lady must really be crazy to get her friend to be so upset.

“How...” The lady started to say.

“No! Enough! Mrs Delgado, if you were lonely and needed a friend, I would have been your friend. If you needed help and asked I would have helped you. But enough of calling the police and knocking on my door.” Ella took a deep breath. “You have some serious mental health issues, Lady. I know a therapist, she will recommend someone for you to see about your paranoia. But, Sheesh, Lady. Go home!” Ella shut the door and turned around. Her eyes sparkled as she drew her bottom lip through her teeth, breathing heavily. Making eye contact with Trixie she grinned then shrugged her shoulders before giving a double thumbs up. Trixie returned the gesture.

“Do you have to use the bathroom before we go?” When Trixie shook her head, she added. “OK, get the stuff you bought, I'll call an Uber, I'll never get a car park closer than the one we found before if I drive you home and I don't like walking alone too far from this area at night.” Ella grabbed her handbag checking to make sure she had her keys. Her hands were shaking a little bit from the confrontation. It was awful that her young friend had to witness her doing that. But it needed to be done, and she really needed a new apartment.

“She really is crazy isn't she?”

Ella rolled her eyes before looking to the ceiling, shaking her head. “Totally Loca! She called the cops... oh that reminds me, I wanted to give a basil plant to Chloe.” She walked over to the kitchen bench and picked up the plant that she had successfully grown from a clipping. “Have you ever seen 'Little Shop of Horrors'? This stuff is totally 'Feed me Seymour'.” Trixie had no idea what her friend was talking about but she looked to the corner of the kitchen where Ella had indicated with a nod of her head. There was a lot of green under a light, but Trixie had no idea what she meant. “It keeps growing and growing. Gotta stop leaving the radio on for them.”

Trixie giggled at the idea. “Actually I better go to the bathroom before we go.”

Later after an Uber was called and waiting. Ella and Trixie quietly opened the front door and peered both ways like spies, laughing quietly they launched into the hallway shutting the door behind them. They quickly made their way down the flight of stairs as fast as they could given their burdens carrying an oversize handbag, shopping bag, a backpack, two Ukuleles and a potted plant. Once seated in the back of the Uber they gave each other a high five and laughed.

Soon after they arrived at Trixie's home the pizza arrived and as Ella had suspected Trixie had voted for the Ukulele rather than Netflix.

'C' and regular 'A minor' was easy and soon, using a play along and one strum a chord was able to keep up with most of 'Jolene'. She thought maybe she could one day get the hang of the '1,2,3' of an E minor but the 'G' was a total finger twister.

“Ella, I really don't like this song.”

“Why”

“The person should leave if the man is cheating.” Said with all the conviction of an almost 12 year old.

“Yeah,” Ella said nodding, “I ...agree, but it sounds nice.” She was going to grab the TV's remote to find another play along on YouTube that was easy when she had an idea. “You can always make up new words like... um … oh! How about this? Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer, say thank you to the Demons and come on home. Lucifer, Lucifer, Lucifer Lucifer, pack your bags, say good bye and come on home... What do ya think?”

Trixie's face grimaced in mock disgust before laughing.

Ella's phone beeped with a text. When she read the message she gave a fist pump and said “Yeah!” At Trixie's inquisitive look she elaborated, “Your Mom got the baddy to confess. She just has to finish some loose ends and will be home soon.”

Trixie put down the instrument and looked at the clock over the mantle, stretched her arms over her head. “Actually I'm getting pretty tired, I think I'll go to bed a bit early. It's been a long day.”

“I hear ya, Trix. You OK? Need any pain killers or a hot pack you haven't had any all day?”

“Nah, I'm good right now.”

“Well, ...I'll just be on the couch if you need me.” Thirty minutes later when Ella peeked into her room to check on her the girl had already fallen asleep, not wanting to disturb her she quietly closed the door and returned to the couch where she got comfortable and returned to scrolling through her phone to catch up on all the news and gossip.

Chloe returned home at ten thirty feeling weary from the long day, disappointed that she hadn't been able to be more present for her daughter but satisfied that a double murderer had been apprehended and tonight was behind bars. Caught just in time to prevent a horrific third murder. Chloe was placing her keys in its bowl on the side table when Ella popped her head up from the arm rest. Ella yawned then pivoted up from her reclined position.

“Hey, Chloe. I think I fell asleep for a moment there.” She yawned again then stood up to come closer to the kitchen so she could talk more quietly. “Everything OK at work?”

Chloe smiled. “Yeah, we got 'em. All set for being denied Bail. This guy is an absolute sicko.”

“Yeah but you got him. High Five for LAPD!” Chloe couldn't help herself from letting out a quiet laugh then giving her friends raised hand a tap.

“How's Trixie?”

“Oh, she is such a sweet kid, so smart too. She fell asleep early though, she's exhausted.” She stretched her back and arms up and out. “Oh, we bought some things at the pharmacy. I told her I'd leave some pain tablets in a dish with a glass of water if she needs it overnight. She hasn't had anything all afternoon and evening. Just wanted you to know, I presumed you'd want to lock the boxes up. Wouldn't want her to get distracted and forget how much she's had. Oh, and I sent to your email some screenshots of period underwear to maybe order to cut down on the plastic.” Chloe nodded.

“Thank you so much for today Ella...”

“De nada.” Ella gave a dismissive wave with her hand. “It isn't a hardship to hang out with Trixie, she's fun. And we are friends, Chloe. If you ever need anything, just call.”

Chloe smiled. “Well thank you anyway. It's late, you are more than welcome to stay overnight if you want. You can use Maze's old room if you want.”

Ella waved her phone up. “Already ordered an Uber, I'll just use the facilities and be on my way.”

Chloe was still leaning against the kitchen counter contemplating finding something to eat when Ella returned.

“We left you some pizza...”

“Oh, fantastic,” Chloe rubbed her face and stretched her shoulders. “I was just standing here starving, wondering what to have. You are a literal life saver.”

“But wait, there's more.” Ella reached into Trixie's shopping bag. “Trixie brought you your favorite candy.” She pushed the pack of fun sized Snickers bars towards the Detective.

“Oh,” her lower trembled and she teared up, “now I think I'm going to cry that is so sweet.” She looked up to her friend. “Seriously, you are a life saver.”

Ella stepped around the counter and gave Chloe a strong hug. “I know this year has been...shit but anything you need, ...anything you know I'm here for you. We all are.” She stepped away from the hug but kept Chloe's hands in hers. “He will be back...”

Chloe stepped back, using the back of her hand to rub an eye and push her hair away from her face. “Ella, this is serious...”

“Chloe, I know. I ...know. I …saw The Mayan. I know. But I also know that Lucifer is a really good manager and really good at fixing things and getting things organized ...when he wants to.” She rubbed Chloe's arm, they shared a grin at that last comment “not all the Demons are bad. There will be lots like Maze to work with and sort ...Hell out. That's SO weird to say by the way.” She rolled her eyes and let out a quick breath. “He will be back.” They hugged again and then Ella's phone alerted to indicate her ride was there. She went to the coffee table where her bag and instrument case were. As Chloe guided her to the door Ella's parting words were odd. “Oh, and next time you go shopping you might want to invest in some ear plugs.”

With that non sequitur Chloe turned around to survey her quiet home. She saw the Ukulele on the table and let out a groan. 'Oh God, help us all.' She thought. If this turned out to be a repeat of 'The Recorder Period' when Trixie was six and had tormented them for months with her unwavering love for that much-hated instrument, she would truly lose her remaining sanity. Dan had, luckily for her, lost at 'rock, paper, scissors' and it had been his job to 'misplace' the deeply despised instrument. Trixie had been inconsolable for two days until finally they had all together gone to the planetarium and watched a program on the Solar System. At least Trixie's fascination over Mars was quiet. Mostly.

'Lucifer.' She thought, 'if you ever want to really torture someone, stick them in a locked room with the sound of a group of children playing the recorder out of tune. It's a true torture.' Maybe Elementary School music teachers were secretly demons. She chuckled, she'd have to ask Maze.

Chloe yawned, she was exhausted. Sighing she walked back to the kitchen, which had gained a new plant, to begin preparing her hot cocoa and grabbed a piece of Pizza from the fridge. Not caring that it was cold she started eating as she reached down into the shopping bag. She found the receipt and rolled her eyes at the price of the hair care products, thirty dollars for two bottles had her shaking her head. She wasn't a complete miser but wow, her kid had expensive tastes. Penelope Decker would be proud to know that skipped a generation.

The microwave dinged and she brought her drink back to the chair. Ultra thin pads, low profile night pads, slim single pack Tampax, a duo pack of light and regular Tampax. Two boxes of tablets, Tylenol and Advil. She usually got the Children's liquid version but in fairness to Ella, Trixie was going to be twelve in less than two weeks. A tube of strawberry scented sparkly lip gloss and and the hair care products. She snapped open the conditioner bottle top and rolled her eyes at the delicious coconut scent. Finishing her second slice of Pizza, she reached over for the candies, now wishing they were her second favorite sort Almond Joy. Wow that coconut smelled good. Although the salty and sweet peanut candy did taste good too.

She put the products for Trixie back in the bag, dosed out some of the tablets and filled a glass of water. Quietly she went into her daughters room and placed the water and pills next to her computer tablet and book on her side table. The rattle of the pharmacy bag or her presence woke the sleeping girl who turned around to face her and vocalized a small groan of protest.

“I'm so sorry babe, I didn't mean to wake you up.” She leaned down onto the floor beside her bed and ran her fingers through Trixie's fine hair. “Are you feeling OK, are you in any pain?”

“I'm OK,” Trixie stretched and rolled over grimacing, blinked her eyes a few times, “actually no ...I have a tummy ache.” She squirmed in the bed. “Ow.”

“You haven't taken anything since the school nurse gave you some have you?”

Trixie grimaced again, “Ugh, they were awful. Tasted like,” she stuck her tongue out, “...disgusting. I had to break one into little pieces it was like ...the worst chalk in the world!”

“These ones are better, they have a coating on them and don't taste bad.” Chloe handed over the tablets and glass of water. “They are easy to swallow.” They went down without a fuss.

“Ella said these were the best kind.” She had another sip of water. “Ella knows a lot about medicines, shes very smart.”

Chloe leaned in. “It's her job to know about stuff like that.” She whispered.

“Ella is really good at playing the Ukulele, she showed me how to learn.” Chloe tried to smile instead nodded. “She sang a song for Lucifer.”

“Oh? How did it go?”

“Um, something about Lucifer, Lucifer pack your bags and come home... it was funny. Do you … do you think Lucifer is going to come home soon?”

Chloe sighed she should take multiple pages from Ella's book and be more positive. “He will come home, I just don't know when.” But the truth was she wasn't feeling positive about Lucifer returning soon at all.

Trixie nodded before clapping her hands together. “Lucifer, we love you come home soon. Amen. …Oh this is Trixie and Mom. ...Chloe.” She let out a small laugh. “Do you think he heard?”

“I don't know if he heard it, but I know that he knows we love him.”

Trixie closed her eyes and clapped her hands together again. “God, can you make sure Lucifer hears us? Amen. …Um this is Trixie...” she shrugged her shoulders. “Just in case.” Chloe smiled and nodded. Whispering, “I. ...I talk with Lucifer all the time Mommy, do you?”

“Every day, Baby. Lot's of times, every day.”

After a few moments Chloe let out another sigh and stood up. Leaning down one last time she neatened the bed covers. “You come knock on my door if you have any problems OK? If you need anything come get me. I love you, Monkey.”

“I love you too Mommy.” With a last kiss to her daughters forehead she turned and left the room.

Walking up the stairs she felt tired. With the late night working and the perp' in lockup for the night she had been granted a half day the next morning. She planned on seeing Trixie to her bus then returning to bed, before doing a quick tidy and shop run. She would start work the next day after lunch at one and complete her paperwork until five. It would be a much needed relaxed work day. She hoped.

She pinned her hair up and undressed. Her fingers felt the numerous marked indentations in the skin of her waist from the top of her jeans. It was way more excessive than usual. Her bra was pinching a bit under her arms as well. She was getting fatter. No doubt about it. Having always been a natural 'string-bean' who ran around all the time and never really worried about food, especially so after she enrolled in the Academy, this was a new experience. This was the first time in her adult non-acting life where she was contemplating going on a formal diet. Her shower was a quick and efficient rinse off of the day.

She had a towel wrapped warmly around her body and was staring at her opened medicine cabinet to get a new tube of toothpaste when she thought maybe she was so bloated because she was due her own period. She finished brushing her teeth and opened the cabinet again to look at her own supplies. She hadn't replenished her stores in ...ages. Closing the door she stared at herself in the mirror for a moment. She looked tired. But other than that she felt ...fine. Sitting on the side of her bed, hands on her knees she recalled when she'd last found herself worried about it. It had been months ago. Months and months ago. Before Lucifer... left.

She recalled sitting in Tiernan's shiny office. Hands and knees pressed together, teeth grinding as waves of pain had rumbled through her. She hadn't been able to keep her irritation from showing with Eve pawing at Lucifer's leg as she'd had. Chloe recalled thinking that at the time that it would serve Tiernan right if her products had failed and she had bled on his shiny white sofa in his shiny white office. In reality she would have been mortified if she had. But Tiernan was such a vile person and pretending to be all white, pure and stylish had irritated her. Although everything had irritated her that day.

But that had been months ago. She rubbed her arms in an unconscious self soothing hug. As her hand brushed past her left upper arm she had the sense memory of Maze fist bumping her shoulder and saying mockingly, 'At least it's not cancer.'

Chloe took a deep breath and let out a low groan.

“Fuck my life.” She couldn't help saying under her breath. She breathed in again. Then with a fist hit the bed next to her. “And why the fuck couldn't I have thought of this shit in the morning. After I had a nice,” she hit the bed next to her, “and. Peaceful. And. Long. Sleep.” She didn't feel any better after hitting the bed on each whispered word. She picked up her closest pillow and screamed into it.

“AHHHHH!” She threw the pillow to join the others before trying to be more rational about the situation. She'd skipped a couple periods. She counted out the months. Four. That was excessive wasn't it? Is that normal for people who are missing loved ones who have to go back to Hell because Demons attacked their nephew?

She didn't think she had eaten that much more than normal. She was only 38 that's too young for anything permanent, isn't it? She stood up and went back into the bathroom dropping the towel. Given her belly a few experimental presses she didn't have any pain or obvious lumps or bumps just a general allover feeling of fullness and fatness.

She dressed in her pajamas quickly in case Trixie had heard her melt down, got under the covers of her bed and turned off her night light. She needed to stop being ridiculous and give herself a break. The last year had been tumultuous, the last four months lonely. Although every one kept trying to sooth her by saying Lucifer would be back, no one, Amenadiel especially, could tell her when. Yesterdays meeting with the lawyer had provided a sense of finality that she hadn't yet been ready to work through. Even though Chandra Mehta had seemed to be a kind, competent person and tried explaining, Chloe had been overwhelmed by it all. When the calls and letters from the Law Firm had started she had suspected it was Lucifer's way to take care of them, but it seemed he had given them everything. He wouldn't do that if he knew he was coming back? Would he? Chloe didn't want to think that Lucifer had known he would never be back when he had left. Why did he have to leave her so quickly after telling her she was his first love, yet have all that time to organize to give all that money, all those properties and assets to her?

There had been a book full of contacts, his 'favors' she supposed. Envelopes with the names Daniel, Ms Lopez, Doctor Linda, Charlie, Amenadiel and Trixie. She would distribute those next week. She needed just a bit more time. There were blank checkbooks in her name, a new shiny black AMEX in her name with a post it note of all things with the name and number of a personal concierge 'to change your pin'. Two more 'regular' looking credit cards that didn't scream 'wealth' so much. 'For coffee' The post it note had said on one. 'Detective. Please just buy something new.' On the other. She had cried when she had first read that. Typical Lucifer.

She had left after gathering everything together and with a quick promise to make another appointment she had fled to her car. Weeping for a good ten minutes before pulling herself together and heading back to work. It was hours later that she realized she had left all the papers and information that had been handed to her in a stylish, no doubt very expensive, leather portfolio in a ratty reusable supermarket bag on the passenger seat of her car. The irony had her rushing to the bathroom to wash her flushed face and place her wrists under the cool water. She fought to stop the hysterical laughing for fear of crying. She had ended up with the hiccups from all the repressing. She had no idea where to even begin with it all. What was worst was recalling that the papers she had been given were only the 'preliminary' ones 'to get her started'.

She turned over to her other side pulling a pillow to lie more comfortably under her ear and in the dim light eyed her closet door where her gun safe hid inside. Within it the leather folder that would change her life. She clenched her eyes shut against the wave of tears. Again. 'I don't want your money Lucifer. I just want you. I miss you and wish you would come home.' She slept fitfully and by the morning had decided to make an appointment with her Doctor. Maybe she just needed her hormones checked. Or just someone independent to talk to. Were her worries edging towards Anxiety or her sadness Depression? Linda didn't seem to think so, and she had up to this point discussed pretty much everything with her, but someone independent couldn't hurt.

After seeing Trixie off to her school bus she rang her usual Doctor however the receptionist said the next appointment was three weeks away. Chewing on her thumb nail, phone in her right hand she thought that Lucifer would have been able to sweet-talk the next available appointment. “What would Lucifer do in a situation like this?” she said to herself. Which reminded her of the contact book, there had been doctors listed there. Moving two steps at a time up the stairs she was soon in her room, closet door rolled back and safe opened. The code Trixie's initial expected birth date, if all had gone to the original plan. No one could ever guess that not even Dan. She moved her service gun out of the way to pick up the leather portfolio. A moment spent looking at the cover of the photo album that contained all of Trixie's hospital photographs before she focused back on the leather folder.

Sitting cross legged on the floor next to her bed, lower lip between her teeth, she unzipped the folio. Laying it open on the floor in front of her she ran her hand over the closest post-it note with Lucifer's writing. Pinned to a red Visa Card. 'Detective. Please just buy something new.' She pulled off the note 'pin 8107' on the other side. She was puzzled for a moment before she realized it was her birth year and Trixie's. Before she thought too much about it she placed the card between her phone and its protective holder and reached for the contact book.

There were many Doctors in the 'D' section. Thankfully their jobs were described next to their names. There was also a note about the nature of the favor and if the person had been 'naughty' or 'nice'. “Thanks Santa Satan.” She said under her breath. In the end there had been three Family Practice Physicians, one Gynecologist and two Dentists that fit her criteria of 'nice' and not having asked for egregious favors.

Chloe used her phone to search the names and addresses of the first three and ended up choosing one who looked the friendliest in their photos. She scrunched her eyes together and gave her face a rub with open palms before taking a deep breath and ringing the phone number. She had an appointment at 10:15 and for a moment after closing off the call wilted feeling foolish for being worried about absolutely nothing more serious than getting fat and being a bit sad. She put away the file, closed the safe and the closet. She clenched her fists. “I can't go on imaging something bad is happening. They will just tell me I'm OK, I'll feel stupid but I will feel better in the end.” Said while looking at her self in the bathroom mirror. She closed her eyes. 'Just think of the advice you would give someone else in the same situation and do it' she thought. She gave her belly another poke, still full and fat feeling. “What if it is cancer? I can't leave Trixie alone?” She started to tear up then letting a slow breath out past pursed lips she tried to calm herself with the repetition “You're just anxious and fat.”

By the time she was in the chair next to the Doctor at the practice she was feeling numb.

“Hello, nice to meet you Chloe, call me Ben.” Ben reached forward to shake her hand. “Any friend of Lucifer is obviously a friend of mine.” He grinned over the top of his wire frame glasses.

“Um, ah … how exactly did you meet Lucifer?” Chloe had decided in the car that first and foremost despite everything she needed to know if this Doctor was in any way unethical.

“Oh,” Ben furrowed his eye brows, taking off his glasses he started to polish them with the edge of his shirt, “I don't exactly know to be honest. I was in a bar drowning my sorrows,” He smiled wryly and shrugged, “when suddenly ...suddenly I was telling this ...stranger all about my problems. My, uh, ...um my um ...business partner had embezzled all the money from my previous practice. I had no idea,” Ben replaced his glasses and looked up at her and smiled again. “ran off to Guadalajara in Mexico with a Medical Rep that had been working with the team on a new ECG machine. Didn't find out about that until later.” He shrugged his shoulders again. “Anyway, I have no idea what I was thinking going into private practice. I much prefer working in integrated centers like these. Less fortune, more glory you know?” He made eye contact with her. Her gut was telling her he had been telling her the truth. The thin, older middle aged man actually gave an impression of being a likeable person. “How do you know Lucifer?”

“He's my partner … at work.” She clarified it didn't matter that she loved him and he loved her, they had never been 'more' than friends. It was disingenuous to hint that they had been more than they were.

Ben nodded. “And how can I help you today?”

“Oh, um, well Lucifer has been ...away ...on business and I've been,” She took a deep breath, slowly blinked and focusing back on the Doctor. “well I've skipped a number of periods and well...”

Ben smiled “Oh, a baby! I see.” he said with a 'go on' gesture.

That pulled Chloe up short, well it definitely wasn't a baby. She hadn't had sex in over a year! And how pathetic did that make her? “I, uh...”

She should have just been more candid. But she had the feeling that she would be personally disappointing the man if she'd suggested cancer straight away. And it wasn't unreasonable to go into the next room to have the Nurse run a set of vitals, heart rate, blood pressure, weight and height. This was a new doctor that did not yet have access to her prior medical files and a urine test was also not unreasonable. She was led back to the Doctors office and left to wait in the same chair as before. It actually was a nice office. Bright with a nice window. An area near the corner with a box of simple toys for any toddler that needed distracting. The examination bed was to the side with a pale blue fitted sheet and and folded blue towel at the base, it wasn't as intimidating as many other doctors offices had been in her life. Ben's desk was a mix of utilitarian and homely, framed photos of children in graduation gowns and another of a new born baby, perhaps a grandchild?

Ben returned to the room with a kind smile and sat down. He took a deep breath and then looked her in the eyes before placing a plastic bag on the desk between them. At her puzzled expression he said what she would never forget.

“Well, you know what they say, positive usually means a baby.”

“Huh” She looked closer, in the bag was a pregnancy test.

“Some people like to keep their first tests so we bag 'em up for people to take.”

“I uh, I don't understand.” 'This means I do have cancer doesn't it?', she thought. Why else would it be positive?

“Chloe, are you alright? I'm very sorry if I've misunderstood the situation.” He reached around the other side of the computer monitor and picked up a tissue box. Chloe was briefly captivated by the decoupage box cover as she took a tissue, decorated with the most beautiful picture of a peacock on one side and feathers spread over the top around the opening. As pretty as it was, it still wasn't as beautiful as the single glowing feather that had been Lucifer's. She could so clearly see in her minds eye how that feather had disappeared, its preternatural glow, how it had dissolved into her skin. “Oh, um. ...OK...” She said under her breath. She took a tissue and twisted it between her fingers. “I ...understand. I'm ...OK.” She felt dazed as she hoped beyond hope that she wasn't just self deceiving. Was it possible that The Feather could do that? Did Go... Did God give her a miracle too? If there was a baby would it actually be Lucifer's baby? Just please don't let it be cancer. Her mind wouldn't let her worry anymore and she felt the returning sense of quiet numbness.

It seemed a favor for Lucifer meant that Ben personally walked with her to the other side of the clinic and stayed with her chatting quietly and keeping her calm while she waited briefly for her turn of an obstetric ultrasound. She didn't think he would do this ordinarily. Or was it that obvious she was in shock? Actually it must be very obvious she was in shock. She had only nodded at his questions since her suspicions about The Feather. At the sound of a rapid heart beat she started crying. And when she saw the gray fuzzy images of an obvious head and body she couldn't help crying out “Oh...” She saw the look between Ben and Carla, the Ultrasound Technician. “No, it's a good crying, ...I think.” Ben leaned forward and rubbed her shoulder.

“Everything is looking completely normal on this scan. One baby. Do you remember the date of your last period?” Ben asked.

“If it helps, I uh ...I know the date of conception,” she wiped her nose with the tissue, “I um, I'm absolutely sure when it happened.” The day Lucifer had left was indelibly printed in her minds eye. She would never forget it. She gave them the date and the Technician typed in more information into the keyboard, then there was more moving of the gelled wand over her lower belly.

“Do you want to know if it's a boy or a girl today?” The tech asked with a questioning smile.

“Um, I don't know, it isn't too early?”

“It's the perfect time to know. At this stage we can be very highly accurate.” Carla smiled kindly. Chloe's head was spinning trying to remember at what point they had known with Trixie. She recalled she had several scans and appointments by this stage last time and had even been in hospital twice. She took a deep breath. She really did feel physically alright, not a hint of nausea. She nodded her head.

“He's a little boy.” Carla pointed to the correct area on the screen to see that yes, it was obvious. A few more minutes of image and Carla removed the wand and rubbed the remaining gel off. “Everything looks completely normal at this scan. I'll send through a copy of the formal report and copy of the images as you've asked for, Ben.” The tech turned back to Chloe. “Take a few moments before you stand up, OK? Do you have any questions?” Chloe shook her head, the only thought at the moment 'It's a boy!' “Your baby's gestational age is around about 16 weeks from the scan.” Chloe opened her mouth to protest. That couldn't be right, that's how old Charlie was! “Which makes the babies fetal age 14 weeks.” Oh, yeah. Chloe had forgotten about that for a moment. Gestational age was from the last period not conception. “All the images indicate that the date you gave us would be about right. But after 12 weeks age, as the baby gets bigger, we aren't able to be as accurate with the expected due dates. Babies tend to come when they want to...”

“Tell me about it, I had my daughter at 32 weeks and 4 days. It's why this time I wasn't expecting this.” Chloe sat up over the side of the bed and readjusted the waist of her stretch leggings, the material more forgiving than her jeans. She readjusted her blouse as she spoke. “I had hyperemesis, ...really bad. This, ...time I don't feel any nausea at all. I have,” she looked up to the ceiling briefly and took a deep breath, “I have been feeling sad that Lucifer is ...away and I've been keeping busy at work. I...” Wow how could she possibly have thought of this?

“Oh, hun,” Carla said kindly. “It sounds like you've had a tough time.”

Ben nodded agreeing, “If you choose to stay with us at this center you would be seeing the same core group of people and off course you have my details, call if you have any concerns. We will do all we can to make sure you are as comfortable as can be.” Wow, it was nice to hear someone say that. “For now though there are a few more chores that are needed before we organize your next appointment.”

The Nurse Practitioner was kind with the swabs and made the intrusive procedure as fast and comfortable as possible. The tech who took the copious amount of blood was proficient but Chloe loathed blood tests and drips and had tensed up so much her left hand hadn't wanted to unclench for a few seconds after it was over. Eventually she made it back to Ben's office. With Trixie's prenatal care her and Dan had needed to drive all over the city going to separate places for scans and blood tests. Dealing with LA traffic, raging nausea made worse by driving, had been an added nightmare. Back then it would have seemed a dream to have all these tests and consultations in the one morning.

“I thought you might want a juice after the vampires...”

Chloe laughed. “I hate that. I'm not quite at the level of needle phobia but I'm close.” She gladly took the juice. They spoke briefly of her medical history before arranging the next appointment and Chloe gave her personal email address so she could have copies of the scans. After accepting a medical note to have the next two days off work so she could get to grips with her ...surprise she went to the front desk to deal with the mass of paperwork that had been bypassed by being able to go straight to see the Doctor.

While completing the forms, Ben came out of his office to greet the next client, Chloe noted that every one seemed to be on a first name basis. Undoubtedly this mornings visit had been streamlined because of Lucifer but she had a good feeling about this place. The decor and the zip code had alerted her to the fact she ordinarily wouldn't be able to afford this and it was confirmed by the receptionist when she provided her insurance details. Having the money to not have to worry about medical care was a privilege. She was aware that there had been many donation provisions in place from the brief discussion with the Lawyer, but she didn't think Lucifer would mind too much if she organized some money to go towards maternal and child health charities. If, ... no when he came back there would still be more than enough to give back to him.

She returned back to the car and was putting her seat belt back on, over the baby ...a boy, she felt another wave of shock roll through her. She sat back in the seat and looked at the time on her phone. 11:30 am. Just over an hour and her world was topsy-turvey. As Maze had said 'at least it wasn't cancer'. Chloe honestly had thought that there was nothing left that could truly shock her.

“Well maybe now there is nothing left. I'm shockless.” She said under her breath. She looked over to the passenger seat where the bag held the test, and next to that the small pile of information pamphlets she had been given and just sat for a while before turning back to her phone. 11:38am. Work was called and informed that she would be back on Monday. Something as simple as that would have had so many flow on effects last time. Chloe had never wanted or planned for another baby as after Trixie she thought that she understood how her body reacted to pregnancy. As much as she loved her daughter, there was no way she could repeat that. But this time she felt ...good. No nausea and she felt healthy with no money worries or work pressure to pay bills. If this baby was ...blessed by God and had Lucifer's Angelic 'genes' it would thrive like baby Charlie. She felt no doubt.

She looked down to her belly and gave it a quick pat, “I'm sorry I kept poking at you last night and this morning.” Sitting in the car, hands together in her lap she remembered being on the ground on the balcony in much the same position begging to have The Feather so that she had something of Lucifer's to hold and keep, Now she would. She bent forward to look at the Californian sky outside the windscreen. Blue with a hint of smog and she bit her lower lip.

“I uh,” clearing her throat she started again, “um … thank you, but, uh a little sign would have been nice. Send an angel down to warn me or something. Isn't that how it's supposed to be done?” She shook her head and turned on the car. As she was checking her rear vision and side mirrors the song on the radio came to her attention '...don't stop believin' hold on to the feelin'...' She put the car back in park and giggled. If her life were a movie she would turn to another station and there would be another inspirational song and it would be a sign. Her finger hovered over the selections a moment before she laughed shaking her head at her silliness and disengaged the park brake, put the car in drive and left the parking area for home.

Friday night she was in bed thinking about when and what to tell everyone when there was a knock on the door before it swung open. Chloe sat up and put on the light. “What's wrong Monkey?”

“Mom,” too many ooo's added, “it went away and I thought it was stopped and it came back. I had to change my pajamas! My tummy hurts.” Chloe got out of bed and in her bathroom gathered a glass of water and a painkiller.

“It does that sometimes, it usually lasts five days but can be a bit more or a bit less and stop and start.” Trixie grimaced at the idea of all that time. “Do you want to stay with me tonight?”

Trixie nodded emphatically and quickly got into bed before her Mom could change her mind. She took the offered tablet and drank half a glass of water.

“This week sucked!”

Chloe chuckled. “Yeah it's had it's moments, but it hasn't been all bad.”

“It sucked!”

“Well you spent some time with Ella, and she loaned you the Ukulele which you like.” The playing hadn't sounded too terrible either.

“Yeah, that's fun.” She'd practiced for hours, yesterday and this afternoon even though she wasn't good yet. Mom said she was getting better every day! When her finger tips hurt too much she and her Mom had sat and watched Youtube videos and sang along to the songs which was fun. Then they found the Ukulele Orchestra channel which was hilarious and watched some of those videos before going to bed. Trixie had texted Ella and she had watched some too before she had to get ready for her date with her friend who was a beat cop.

“And tomorrow we're going to the Park and Observatory with Dad.”

“Yeah, OK.”

She played with Trixie's soft hair, as she hugged her daughter closer. “And I have some news, but I haven't told anyone about it yet.”

Trixie looked up at her. “Is it good news or bad news, cause I don't want no bad news.” She said frowning and shaking her head.

“That's the problem, I think it's good news but I don't know what you will think.”

“Well then you gotta tell me, silly.” Trixie smiled, then thinking for a moment frowned. “Does Dad know?”

“Nope” she 'popped' the p. “Nobody.”

“Does Lucifer know?”

“Well I told him but I don't know if he can hear us, remember?”

“Is it about my … birthday?”

“Oh, when is that... I can't remember.” Chloe said finger on her chin a moment before laughing and tickling Trixie's side. “As if I could ever forget when my only Monkey was born.” Her smile turned wistful. “Trixie what if you weren't my only Monkey and I had a … a Koala as well?”

“We are getting a Cat for my birthday? Please Please...” said squealing until she saw her Moms worried face.

“No babe, I'm ...we can't get a Cat...”

“Is it really good news?”

“Really, really good...”

“Well tell me.”

“I...”

“Moooommm!”

“OK, Trixie, Monkey. Mommy is … I'm going to have another baby.”

Trixie though about it for a moment. “OK, but Koala is a silly nick-name. I think Monkey is a silly nickname too though.” Trixie rolled her eyes smiling.

“Yeah, but you totally are a little Monkey.” Trixie got threatened with another tickle and pushed away to the edge of the bed a moment before coming closer again.

“Grandma said Grandpa used to call you a Monkey too.”

Chloe smiled. “Yeah but I only got that nick name when I was seven and I kept climbing up trees. I kept nearly falling out and your Grandpa would say, 'Ya gotta be a better Monkey, Monkey.'” She ran her hand over her daughters shoulder to her back, giving a half hug. “Do you remember how you got the nickname?” At Trixie's shake of her head Chloe smiled. Trixie loved to hear this story repeatedly when she was younger and it had often been repeated although the exact details were never shared. “When you were a teeny-tiny little baby, you used to grip your hands real tight,” Chloe clenched her own fist to show, “it was your Daddy that gave you that name. So you became a Monkey too.”

“Mommy,” Trixie tucked under the comforter, “are you really having a baby?”

“Yes, Monkey.”

“Is Lucifer the Daddy?”

Chloe took a deep breath. This was her terrible conundrum did she say what her heart wanted her to say or what her head told her to? Would Lucifer forgive her if he didn't want them when he got back? Chloe nodded before she could finish her thoughts. Her heart had spoken.

“Is that why you were so sad?”

She looked her daughter in the eye, such a kind and thoughtful child. They were fortunate to have her in their lives. “I think, I ...was just sad for a while.”

“Yeah, me too... when, ...when will the baby come?”

“Oh, in about, ...wow actually not long around five months.”

“OK, I can't wait to get a little sister...” At her Mothers slight wince and frown, she amended, “...brother? If it's a brother he can have Maze's old room. He's not sharing with me!”

“Would it upset you to have a little brother?”

“Not really, but my friend at school has a baby brother and they can't play for years and years. I'll be in college before the baby gets interesting.” That made Chloe blink slowly. To add in her head how few years there would be before Trixie went to college would give her a headache, and heartache. She tried not to think about it too much. “Have you told Dad yet?” Chloe shook her head and Trixie's smile widened. “You can tell him just before we go into the Planetarium. So he can't argue.” Trixie gave another wiggle to make the pillow more comfortable.

“You really aren't upset?”

Trixie gave her an irritated 'you kidding' look. “Nooo. But you gotta promise to pay me to babysit. None of that 'he's family' stuff, I'm not going to do that for free.” Chloe smiled. “A decent amount too not just chocolate cake. Do you think the baby will have wings like Charlie?”

“Maybe, probably.”

“Do you think Dad will drop him too...” Trixie stopped that train of thought when she saw her Mothers stern look and she rolled her eyes, “just kidding. Do you think we can sleep in tomorrow morning. I'm tired?”

“I hope so, that sounds nice.” Chloe briefly sat up and turned around to turn off the light before settling back under the comforter.

In the dark Trixie held her hands together and prayed, “Lucifer, hope you come home soon, I love you. Amen.”

Chloe placed her own hands over and around Trixie's. “Lucifer I hope that you are well and able to come home soon, I love you and miss you, ...and we have a lot to talk about.”

Their breathing quietened and just as Chloe was about to drift off she felt fingers lightly rubbing her face.

“Mommy?”

“Yes, honey?”

“Are you happy about the baby?”

Chloe smiled and held Trixie's hand. “Yes, baby. Very happy.”

Months later Chloe was sitting on the sofa heavily pregnant, more pregnant than she had ever been before. The baby felt like it was jumping for all the movement she felt and Trixie was singing and playing songs from 'The Greatest Showman'.

“I think the baby likes that song more than the Disney songs, Trix. He jumps around a lot more when you play it.” Trixie was becoming proficient with playing the Ukulele over the last four months and with regular singing, while not the next Taylor Swift, was sounding very easy to listen to.

Trixie stopped playing and turned to her, “Hugh, Jack or Zac, um, ...PeeTee Barnum...” Trixie started laughing “Ha ha PeeTee... actually that's a great name for a puppy, 'come here PeeTee'.” She practiced calling to her imaginary dog. “Mom are you ever gonna think up a name for the baby?”

“Well it's not going to be PeeTee.” With her free hand she rubbed her belly again over what was obviously a foot. “But that is a great name for a Dog. Keep thinking up names though, when I hear it, I'll know.”

Chloe had been trying to think of the perfect name that would fit three simple criteria, sound nice, not be stupid and not psychologically scar her son for life. She was sorted for middle and last names, which had been a naming battle won months ago when even Dan had told her to 'stop being silly, off course he is a Morningstar!' Dan had argued he would would be the 'Fun Uncle' to the Anti-Christ as long as his name wasn't Damien. Chloe had punched Dan in the shoulder for that comment much to Maze and Eve's amusement.

Chloe picked up her phone as Trixie returned to her song, she really was getting better with the 'fingerpicking'.

Chloe's own name meaning 'fertility' was a hope her Mother had for her after the long years of her own infertility. Lucifer was Bringer of Light, Beatrice coincidentally was Bringer of Happiness, she had looked up names meaning Bringer of Joy, Love, Harmony, Music all with no great affection for any of the names seen. The night before she had thought that if Lucifer was Bringer of Light she would look up male names meaning 'light'. 'Abner' instantly reminded her of Indiana Jones but was much too 'old-fashioned', 'Oran' interesting but no and 'Lucian' too obvious, 'Uri' meaning 'my light' being too close to Lucifer's brother Uriel was quickly discounted. It also brought to mind spoon bending charlatans.

Discounting the rest, two names hit a chord with her 'Kiran' meaning 'beam of light' in Sanskrit and 'Zain' a Hindi name meaning 'godly light'. Both names modern sounding despite their historic roots. Kiran or Zain, Zain or Kiran. Zain sounded a bit LA, but that wasn't a bad thing actually being in LA, was it? And Kiran just sounded nice. She moved away from the website she had found the names on and looked for other meanings or reasons to not consider the names. 'Zain', it turned out had very ancient roots and seemed to be a popular Arabic, Aramaic and Phoenician name and in a general search meant anything from 'beauty', 'grace' and 'excellence' to 'God's Grace'. Whereas 'Kiran' pretty much meant 'ray of light'.

Kiran or Zain, Zain or Kiran. What about any of the numerous ways to spell those two names? Chloe would keep searching, but they were on the top of the list.

A month later, hours after the baby was born and after Chloe had rested for a while Dan, Trixie and Linda were taking their turns to greet the baby resting in her arms while she lay in the best hospital room Lucifer's money could buy.

“He's so Big!” Marveled Dan at pretty much the same time Linda was remarking on how much smaller the baby was than Charlie, 7.2 pounds looked a lot smaller than Charlie's 9.1 pounds!

“How big was I when I was born?” Trixie asked playing with the babies hand and being amazed at the teeny tiny finger nails. Dan and Chloe shared a pointed look that didn't go unnoticed by Linda.

“You were a perfect tiny little baby.” Chloe said. “A little smaller than your brother.”

“What's his name? Do you know it yet Mom?”

“Just please tell me you didn't pick Damien...”

“Dan!” Linda scolded before he would say anymore.

Chloe had known the moment she held her son in her arms and saw him. “Kiran. His name is Kiran. Kiran Decker Morningstar.”

“That's …actually that's a nice name.” Dan said, “It suits him.”

“That's lovely, Chloe.”

“It means,” Chloe looked down at the baby in her arms. “it means 'Light'”

“Oh, Chloe.” Linda said leaning forward from the chair she was sitting on and rubbing her hand on her lower leg as Chloe's hands were busy holding the baby. “That's beautiful. He will love the name.”

Chloe nodded before looking up at her friends wistful smile. “Who want's to hold Kiran?” She asked looking straight to her Daughter.

“Me, me, me, me!” Trixie said standing up from her position leaning against her other side on the wide Queen size mattress. Dan shifted so he sat at the foot of the bed.

After her friends and her Mother, via Face-Time, had a chance to visit with the baby and give gifts, and after Chloe had successfully fed Kiran he was nestled in his blankets in the cot next to the bed. She relaxed into the soft pillows lying on her side, not pain free but not too uncomfortable after the birth. She had even gotten used to the tight compression stockings on her legs. Chloe put her hands together and prayed. “Lucifer, I know what you are doing is important to keep us all safe. But please come home soon, there is someone you need to meet. I love you. Amen.”

**The Hills, Hell**

There was nothing very garden-like about this part of Hell. Looked just as shitty as the rest. They had walked until they reached The Hills where The Caves were situated. Lucifer turned back to view the trail of Small Ones that had amassed as they had traveled up to The Hills. They paused in their movement as he did, and other than Pox they each kept their distance from him ducking their faces as he looked over them. But he could see the open curiosity and direct stares at the edges of his vision. Over thirty, many walking on two legs, some scurrying along clicking on four, against the stone of the dirty paths.

His eyes narrowed, were the smaller ones younger Small Ones? The Detective had said human spawn were reliant on their parents, Mothers in particular, when the spawn were very young and they were dependent for nourishment and care. She had indicated that before they walked they too scurried around on all fours. Lucifer had witnessed many human spawn over the Millennia. Some carried like a sack of tubers on the back, others carted around like Royalty in carriages.

He had actively avoided them as much as possible. Tiny humans with adult sized eye-balls, flushed faces scrunched up, sparse teeth that he likened to a weathered Henge of stones, saliva dripping as they screeched their discordant wails... The thought was enough to give him a full body shiver of revulsion.

His 'guide' who had crouched down while they had paused, stood at noticing Lucifer's attention. The little almost-four foot tall demon stretched it's body, lithe muscly legs disproportionate to its thickset torso gave the impression of having been stretched like taffy. Long feet with long arms and nubby fingers accentuated the appearance of being very different from the Lilim-Demons like Maze who appeared human. The Lilim all had an aspect of their physical form that appeared terrifying and some manifestations had made even Lucifer blink and pause at times at the sheer grotesqueness. The Lilim were very proud of this though, particularly when it was their visage effected which elevated them in rank. The smaller less human-like Demons had always been referred to as 'The Ugly Ones' by the Lilim and dismissed as lesser Demons. The Lilim addressed themselves as Demons but would be quick to clarify they were Lilim or Children of Lilith. Lilim tended to dress in armors and leathers and favored warrior strength and fighting. They constantly argued among themselves. Pox and the others behind him wore simple tunics versus the more ornate dress that the Lilim chose. It gave the impression that utility was more important than presentation with these Demons. There was no glamour to alter their forms and there was no sense of pretentiousness.

Pox's hairless smooth head tilted in his direction and his eerily almost-human eyes peered at him. Lucifer was reminded of a movie he had seen with The Urchin about a little alien creature. They hadn't watched long into the movie before The Detective had gone to take a phone call and The Urchin had turned to him and said that no matter what her Mother thought the movie was old and boring. Lucifer had agreed. They had ended up watching cartoons instead. But there could be a fair comparison made to that little creature if it hadn't been obese and more of a pink flesh tone.

“Pox, why is this place called The Gardens?” Hell was very much like The Silver City, where every person and place was addressed with respect and it was custom to acknowledge occupation or station, he could hear the 'capitals' as they spoke and it reminded him so of The Silver City. It was a habit he had continued on Earth, he knew that The Detective was amused by it at times.

“This is not The Gardens, this is The Hills, my King.” Lucifer had requested to speak with the Oldest of the Old Ones. He hoped they were not senile as was prone to occur with humans. Lucifer closed his eyes for a moment and would have taken a deep breath if not for the ash. He told himself to calm down, he was talking with a child.

“This isn't the entrance to the Gardens?”

“Oh yes, off course it is, my Ki...”

“Pox,” Lucifer interrupted. “please you don't have to say My King after every reply, I've never asked that of you, of any one. Please stop.”

“Alright, my K...” Pox stopped at the piercing stare he was given and bowed his head, “Sorry. M... Sorry.”

“Now, where exactly is the entrance to The Gardens?”

“Here.” At Lucifer's withering gaze, Pox amended his comment by pointing to the nearby cave entrance.

'Well why the Hell not?' Lucifer thought to himself. Why this was a cave and not a room he didn't know. He walked into the cave and over the threshold of Hell. While he had been in other caves where the inside had actually been a cave, this time the difference was immediately noticeable the sensation was the same as all the other rooms that led to various Loops. Except, there wasn't the pervading sense of ...Punishment here. He could intuitively feel there was no Soul being tormented. Reflexively he felt a tension inside uncoil. It felt peaceful and ...clean.

He heard the sound of chitinous laughter as the Small Ones that were behind him hollered and cheered as they ran fully dressed into the glorious looking Lake to the left. The Lake with the river that fed it, Lucifer spun around 360 degrees as he took in the vista, the bright clear blue sky with white fluffy clouds and the fertile fields. The simple home with a low walled enclosed 'garden' to its side, the forest and the village, if the collection of similar hand built shelters could be called a village, that he knew would be almost a half hours walk North along the river.

He became numb as all the surrounding ambient sounds coalesced to a single high pitched ring. He fell to all fours, hands clenching into the cool grassed soil. He knew this place, he knew it. He looked up once more to the Home where he had... where he had been with Eve while Adam and a young Cain had been in the village. The sweet, clean, earthy smell of the air was the same. He knew this place. Lucifer leaned back onto his haunches, hands still clenching wads of fertile soil. And it was clean.

For the first time in all the time he had been in Hell he wept.

Although Lucifer was quick to discuss the fact that he was The Devil with a capital 'The' to any who would listen, he mostly refrained from correcting the erroneous ideas that humans held because of the ancient stories penned by Man in the Bible. It simply caused too much distress and turmoil and his times on Earth had been too short to fill with angst. There were some stories loosely based after visits from his siblings to Earth, but the telling and retelling before written records had twisted the stories into more fantastical shadows of the truth.

However in every fiction there is a touch of truth as much as in everyone's 'Truth' there is, in the telling, a touch of fiction.

There would be many humans who would be disappointed to learn that while there were an Eve and Adam, the 'Eden' of the Bible had never existed as an actual place rather the story had been a metaphor for the times of prosperity that occurred after the end of the final ice age around 13,000 years ago. When the Great Glaciers had finally receded their last time, the ice bridges melted and the peoples of the Northern Hemisphere were finally able to prosper like those few of the Southern warmer regions. There had been many false starts with Fathers plan for the Earth in its beginning mostly due to Mother who would, from time to time, cause the complete flooding and freezing of the planet or other catastrophes. There had been siblings who laughed at the antics between parents and those that had scowled as their attention was diverted. But Father had continued with his machinations and cheered on the temerity of its life, as he had for all his realms.

'For life to survive despite such hardship … it is something to celebrate.' He had said.

For most of the Earth's and Humanity's existence Lucifer, as with his siblings, had ignored it all as the slow movement from sea to land creature was quite frankly monotonously boring. But about 12,000 years ago he and many others had started to take notice. Humans, despite once existing in its myriad of ugly-looking prior forms, had evolved to appear the same as Celestials. Sans wings. Lucifer had found on other non Earth realms, that had peoples who looked like Celestials, the people had a demeanor that was utter anathema to him. Lucifer's fascination firmly held with The Humans who were more lively. Father loved them all and at that time he changed the entire system so that his chosen would not be so limited by the biology that dictated their short-lived lives. Their souls would advance to areas of the Heaven plane if worthy, or Hell for the Humans if ...not.

Mother had noticed that so many of her children were becoming intrigued in Earth and had tried to interfere with plagues and famine. When she had threatened to 'Snowball' Earth again Father, in a Rage, shouted 'Enough!' and had thrown her into Hell. This had stopped his siblings from their curious investigations for a while, not wanting to have Father's rage be turned their way.

But Lucifer liked Humans, they knew how to have fun. How to dance and sing and love and play with a sense of joy his siblings simply could not reach. They represented a freedom he did not posses. He liked how vibrant and 'alive' they were when alive. He had not thought to personally visit those that had 'ascended' to Heaven which was on the same plane as The Silver City. He had witnessed 'deaths' and did not wish to see how their corpses would reanimate in Heaven, old, damaged, withered and wretched. Nor had he thought to willingly visit Hell. Simple visits to Earth where he watched had been enough, for a while, until the pull towards Humanity had eventually led to Eve.

During 'The Great Argument', as Lucifer's siblings had coined the roughly 500 years of intense disagreement between himself and Father, Father had told him he hadn't the knowledge to know when he was wrong. It had incensed him which resulted in choices that finally had Father telling him he would be sent to Hell until he understood that presumptions and choices had consequence. Lucifer had always understood that this meant he was punished to Hell because of his presumptions and choices, that the consequence was Hell for him. But what if he was supposed to come to this place and learn that the choices had consequences for the humans in the loops? He had let The Lilim guide him as much as they had let him lead them because at the time they seemed the most Human-like, almost Celestial in appearance. They had called him their leader, their King from the beginning. But was that really who he should have been to them? They had spoken the most sense. Had that presumption been his first mistake in Hell? Had he been so bigoted against these other demons simply because they looked so ...alien? He had listened to The Lilim rhetoric for Millenia and his own anger at his Father had blinded him … he had presumed. So much.

When there were no tears left and for a time more Lucifer lay on his side, vision focused on The Small Ones frolicking in the water. Not too dissimilar from the human children he had seen on the beaches around Los Angeles. He felt a warm touch to his shoulder.

“You are crying. Are you injured?” The hand belonged to a tall Demon who was stooped over to touch him. While the voice was calm and lilting they appeared to be somewhat old and had numerous wrinkles around their eyes. Lucifer looked into their eyes. They seemed ...kind. Lucifer sat up and the Demon stepped back and straightened up. He couldn't tell the creatures gender by sight but …that didn't matter. That would be a ...presumption.

“No, it's a good crying, ...I think.” Lucifer raised his hand to wipe his eyes and face when he saw the residual dirt on his hands, He scowled before quickly wiping them on the material of his trousers.

“Come, I can show you where to get clean.” He followed the demon to the side of the home where a garden faucet spouted from the rendered wall. He had already washed his hands and was drying them on the sides of his vest when he looked back down at the tap, then the wall. He touched the side of the house, it may have been the same color, but the texture was less mud, straw and animal feces and more …modern. He looked back at the anachronism that was the faucet.

“Why is there a faucet here?”

The Demon looked where Lucifer was pointing, raised an eyebrow and frowned. “Convenience.”

Lucifer blinked, he would need to find a way to ask questions that resulted in more information. “How is there a faucet here? It doesn't belong to the time this loop is from.”

“Loop?”

“Cave, The Gardens, Room in Hell?”

“Ah.” The demon raised his eye brows, tilted it's head back and widened his mouth as he said it.

Lucifer turned away for a moment and reigned in his frustration. “What would The Detective do in a situation like this?”

“Who?”

Lucifer raised a finger in a 'one moment' gesture before bowing slightly and placing his hands together, steepling his fingers. “My name is Lucifer Morningstar, I have several questions, may I speak with you and will you answer them? Please?”

The Demon tilted it's head to the left as it thought about the question a moment before nodding.

“Is there somewhere we may sit?”

The Demon indicated the low wide wall that surrounded the garden. “It is best here so I may watch The Small Ones.” Said nodding in the direction of the Lake. Lucifer looked over the ...children were still happily playing. They walked the few steps to the wall and sat down facing the Lake.

Lucifer did not know where to start. He took a deep breath, the air smelled fresh and sweet. 'The Beginning'. “Why is this place called The Gardens?”

“There are many Gardens here.” The Demon spoke with a gravely, soft spoken and lilting voice.

“Elaborate.” He swirled his hand in a 'go on' motion.

“Lilith called it The Garden. But there are many gardens here. We call it now.”

Lilith. Lucifer had never met her as Father had ...smote her before he had arrived in Hell, but so much of Hell's history was predicated on her presence. Every question returned her as the cause, the ashes, the Lilim...

“Why?”

“This was her Torment. The Garden her Torture.”

“This was Lilith's Loop?” The Demon nodded. Lucifer widened his eyes briefly then looked over the vista again. It made sense, she would have known what the place had looked like. Both Eve and Adam and their younger children had moved on to Heaven, and Lucifer had known where Abel's loop was, a door way in a pillar like all others.

“Why here?”

“The Garden.” The Demon nodded to the small kitchen garden that was besides the home.

“She really hated gardening huh?” The demon looked puzzled. “What was her torment?”

“To relive her greatest crime” Lucifer nodded and waited, “it is from before my time but My Old One's told.” Lucifer waived his hand again. “Lilith did not wish for another child. She rejected Adam's Gift. At it's birth she,” The Demon tilted it's head to the side thinking of the word, “...smothered the babe and ...buried it in The Garden.”

“Another child? Were there others?” Lucifer had a thought that made him pause. “Was, ...was Cain, Lilith's child?” The Demon shrugged. Lucifer had never asked and Eve had never spoken otherwise. But she was so kind and tender-hearted that he could believe she would have loved any child as her own. It would certainly explain the psychopathic tendencies that Cain had inherited. The other children certainly hadn't. “This was her 'Loop', ...how did she get out?”

“The Places of Punishment, have no locks ...except the ones The Great Father and Yourself have placed. She Willed release.” Lucifer nodded. He could well remember when he had started ordering the locks which was relatively recently in his time in Hell. One of the only times he had been somewhat ...eager to return to Hell to ensure ongoing punishment. Thinking to that time it marked the beginnings of him feeling satisfaction in punishing a living Human. Although never again to that severity when he had felt such an overwhelming revulsion to the vile inhumanity witnessed. Listening to the grotesque crimes and the complete absence of guilt with no acknowledgment of the suffering caused. He had come close with Julian McCaffrey, another vile human, guilty of so many crimes including slavery. When he had described what he had done with the youngest and most innocent of those stolen, Lucifer had broken his back so that he many never harm another. Eve had encouraged an aspect of himself that he loathed. He hated that he enjoyed it. But then he would see The Detective and Dan's reactions and remember that it was himself who was The Monster...

But he did so enjoy punishing those who harmed others. It was satisfying, something he had grown to greatly relish working with The Detective. But back then, that true monster of a man, vile and despicable had deserved every one of Maze's cuts. On returning to Hell he had ordered the locks placed on the most egregious of souls. He may not be comfortable around children, but the idea of those who would take pleasure in harming such beautiful souls, well he hadn't a second thought about ensuring their eternal damnation. The Demons, no The Lilim had been excited by the change, and had taken to calling them 'Special Cases.' Lucifer's lips turned in a half smile. He may not have been a particularly caring leader to them, but in a way the locks had prevented The Lilim and the other Demons from having to witness the more heinous crimes perpetrated against children. Hell itself could and would continue the punishment behind locked doors.

“The Places of Punishment, that is what you call The Rooms?”

The Demon nodded then added, “The Places of Punishment, Sorrow, Apology, Redemption, Ascension. We call that Feast.”

Feast, Lucifer had heard that term numerous times and had always shied away from knowing. “Tell me more.”

“'The Place is named by the stage of The Soul. It begins with Torment and Punishment. This progresses to Sorrow and Deep Shame, then Apology and True Will to change. Redemption and Ascension is in comparison a ...quick process.”

Lucifer leaned forward elbows on knees and finger interlaced. He rested his head on his hands a moment before he tilted his head to the side and observed The Demon whose attention had returned to the children. The young one's mood had grown more quiet in the time that they had been talking, there was less splashing some now simply floating on their backs near the shore, with most now lying down on the grassy banks. Lucifer looked up to the sky, the 'Sun' that had been behind the fluffy clouds peaked out for a moments dazzling brilliance before another cloud passed over. The 'Sun' was low in the sky and it was ever so slowly darkening. On Earth Lucifer would have said it was getting late. The change in light levels certainly made him feel more weary. He turned back to The Demon. “I'm sorry, I didn't ask your name?” The Detective would have asked.

“Billion” At Lucifer's frown, “My One said I was one in a billion. The Other Ones call me Bill.”

“Bill?” Lucifer chuckled.

“Yes.” Bill nodded.

“Are you The Oldest of the Old?”

Bill laughed in earnest, a deep clicking sound under the laugh . “No.” The Demon looked up at Lucifer for a moment. “But Old Enough.”

These Demons seemed unpretentious and modest. Very unlike The Lilim. Or himself. “The Lilim, how did they come to be? Particularly if Lilith didn't want children.”

Bill scowled. “It was said that Lilith perverted the Gift of Life.” At Lucifer's encouraging nod Bill continued. “In the beginning, there were Old Ones that listened to Lilith, thought that she was sent to be Queen by The Great Father. Lilith saw how the Small Ones were created and perverted The Gift of Life. She cut her hair and Gifted it to them. It was said she did this Forty Times. Until The Lilim. It is said The Ones she did not 'love' were destroyed. A rotten love. It was a dark time. The Demons fled to The Caves in The Hills and hid away in The Gardens. Lilith never thought to look here.”

“I don't understand...” At Bill's puzzled look he elaborated, “I don't understand, how are Small Ones created?” Until earlier this 'day' he had no idea Hell had children, he presumed it would be the same as with Humans, but what had hair to do with it?

Bill smirked and laughed. “Even The Small Ones know of this.”

“Humor me.”

“Demons were gifted by The Great Father the Gift of True Will. Is this not the same of Angels? You can Will your image to be altered, Will your limbs to regrow...”

“I don't know about my limbs,” Lucifer stretched his hands out in front of him, “but I've cut off my wings a few times and they regrew.”

Bill seemed surprised. “You must have great and powerful Small Ones if you Gifted your wings!” Bill said in awe.

“No, I don't have any ...Small Ones, I just ...cut off my wings.”

That obviously had Bill taken aback as The Demon paused for a moment searching his face. “Why would you do that?”

Lucifer shook his head and looked to the sky, threw his hands up in the air. “I don't know, I got confused, it just made sense at the time. Guess I was just being ...stupid.” Lucifer laughed bitterly there was nothing else to add to that. “But go on, tell me about True Will.”

“Demons can change appearance as to how we feel. For most, by the time we walk on two legs we have decided our preferred forms. But still for Punishment we change again.” Lucifer had seen it an innumerable amount to times, The Demons and The Lilim taking on the image of a human in the loops, guiding and ensuring the soul continues in their torture. What was the purpose of The Demons and The Lilim doing what Hell itself could do unaided? Why had Father placed these creatures here? Why would Father need The Demons to be in Hell? Bill continued, “Unlike living Humans we do not rely on Biology.” At Lucifer's puzzled look, Bill added, “We do not need to eat or breath or sleep. Although we like sleep and suffer if we do not.” Lucifer nodded, he could well appreciate that. “We taste the fruits and berries that appear in The Gardens, but we gain no nourishment from them. Are you not the same?” Lucifer nodded, it seemed in that regard Celestials and Demons were more closely matched than Celestials and Humans were. “Hell cannot provide food. If food were needed we could not be living in Hell. The Great Father foresaw this and gave Demons The Gift of Life.”

“Go on.”

“When two, or more, wish for a Small One, with mutual Will and yearning a Gift of a part is given. It need not be big part but there are some who believe in 'Grand Acts of Romance'. They will Gift an arm, a leg or an eye. They believe that suffering while regrowing is a sign of deep affection and Love.” Lucifer grimaced and leaned back, that would certainly explain why there were so many half formed Demons around.

“Just to clarify, the tip of a finger would be enough wouldn't it? But why not ...come?

Bill laughed and nodded. “It must be a Gift of a piece of Oneself. I do not know why. It just is,” Bill laughed again, “a handful of blood would be enough. In the last half of The Great Night, some Young Ones have Willed the growth of extra limbs in preparation for 'The Gift' they call themselves 'The Clever Ones',” Bill paused a moment to look at the lake then added, “controversial for some.” Bill chuckled. “The new Small One is then grown over the torso until it is time. That is how Lilith Created The Lilim. By the thousands denying them true Love and instilling in them by her Will, the Hate and anger she had for her life on Earth and The Great Father.” Bill turned and looked him in the eyes with a piercing stare. “They think they are superior as that is how they were taught. They feed off your Divinity. That is why they Love you. Why they need their 'King'. But they are Demon also. Balance must be restored. They need The Feast.”

“I never asked to be King.”

Bill smiled kindly. “No, Hell is your punishment also.” He leaned forward and smelled Lucifer. “You are in The Place of Apology. You were brought here to help them, The Lilim. The Great Father Willed it for you are here.”

Lucifer sighed and looked to the Lake. He was sorry that his actions had hurt The Detective. He was sorry, not about arguing with his Father, but about having been a bigot about The Demons. Brief moments of Satisfaction at seeing The Unjust find Justice had been the only satisfaction in Hell and those moments had been brief. He was sorry that he hadn't let himself find this place earlier. This respite from … the Hellishness of Hell itself. He had seen with Maze how she had grown and changed while on Earth. The other Lilim deserved the same chance. What did Bill mean about them needing balance, feeding off his Divinity?

He had craved so desperately for the brief respites to Earth where he was able to cleanse his mind, if only for a short while before his siblings had dragged him back. Had it recharged his soul as well as his mind and body? Had Maze been the brightest and most loyal of them merely because he had spent the most time with her? Had she somehow existed feeding off his praise and regard, the scraps of attention he had paid her? Mere moments among the Millennia of Anger? Had the scraps of pleasure they shared started her emotional journey, or was it something in his celestial nature? Had that been enough to change her? No. It wasn't him. Not only him. He had been too full of Hate, bitterness and anger. It was Earth where people loved so freely that she had truly changed. The Urchin bright and True had adored Maze from the beginning, The Detective, a Miracle had resided in the same home with her for over a year sharing affection. Amenadiel... Had Maze been so attracted to his Brother because he was an Angel? Had she been 'fed' by his attention. Was that why she had been so desperate to return to Hell when his affections turned towards Doctor Linda?

Maze had tormented him, threatened him. Joined forces with Cain, simply because she had been rejected. But Maze's plan was for him to return to Hell as well. Was it a conscious decision to have him close when another Celestial was unavailable? Now she was living with Doctor Linda, Baby Charlie and his Brother. She adored the baby according to The Doctor. Was she unconsciously feeding from the scraps of Divinity that was being shed? Was that why she was so attracted to Eve? As distracted and self-absorbed Lucifer was in the time before returning to Hell he had noticed that attraction. Eve had returned to Earth and to her body but had still been a Soul who had existed in Heaven for over 11,000 years. Eve had always had a brightness, a light inside her. Did she now carry Divine light simply through her time spent in Heaven?

Or was the answer more simple? Maze was now loved and capable of love because she was surrounded by love. Were the Lilim only capable of hate because they were surrounded by hate? Would The Lilim change if offered the opportunity?

In Hell, Maze had been surrounded by Hate and anger. She had reveled in it, expressed joy during the torment of Damned Souls. He felt guilt because it was obvious that the few years on Earth had done more than the Millennia in Hell for her growth. Had that joy at the Souls Torment nourished her, or was it simply the praise he bestowed when he told her she was good at it? He remembered she would preen while the others became jealous.

Lucifer was so quick to denounce the beliefs the Humans had about him being evil simply because he was The Devil. But why had he presumed that The Demons were simple minded and inherently bad, simply because they punished evil as well? Maze believed she was soulless. Was that true or was that simply Lilith's rhetoric? Why was he so quick to believe they were soulless? Because they looked different, communicated differently, had different motivations to him? Was it simply because he had imagined that no one good could possibly be in such an awful place as Hell, no happiness that didn't involve satisfaction from torment of The Damned?

He looked back to the Lake. The Small Ones seemed happy here. Bill seemed ...content. Had he misunderstood Fathers Plan for Hell, that it wasn't merely a Place of Punishment but a Place of Redemption as well? He looked at the Sky. He had never wanted to stay long in the 'Loops' watching and re-watching the reason for the Guilt or more often grotesque crimes committed by it's inhabitants, he had never stopped to wonder what happened to the Rooms if the souls ever did leave the unlocked doors? Where did they go? He knew the non-Lilim Demons lived in caves, he thought they were simply empty caves, not empty Rooms. He had never imagined that an empty Room in Hell could fill him with such a sense of warmth, calm and ...peace.

“Why are there caves and rooms and how are they empty?”

Bill frowned for a moment. “In the beginning there were caves, then covered spaces then homes.” Bill pointed to the home behind them. “In time more and more came and Hell …accommodated. Less walking. We kept what we needed, Hell ...absorbed the rest”

Lucifer let out a quick breath. Recycling. Seemed efficient. He had witnessed Hell's expansion and how it correlated to the growing numbers of Humans. In the beginning he had visited each Room soon becoming bored of the process of The Demons or The Lilim entering The Rooms and often, as he had seen with the Lilim, interfere with the Souls memories purely for their own entertainment. There had been times that he had encouraged it. But over 150,000 Humans died every day now. Of the roughly 125,000 adults, Hell saw very few Human Souls that were not Adult, anywhere from 10,000 to 100,000 would find themselves in a Room. So many, too many felt Guilt or were Guilty. Hell was too big for The Demons to give special attention to them all. Lucifer frowned for a moment puzzled over a thought. He'd found The Professors Room quickly when he needed the formula even though he hadn't known where it was. It had been pure Will that had lead him to the Door, then, pure Guilt that had led him to his own. Had that been his Will as well? The need to be punished for killing Uriel?

Lucifer hadn't surveyed Hell since the beginning. Were the vast empty plains the other side of The Mountain still empty, or were they full of Pillars as well? Would the waters of The Ocean recede as the Pillars multiplied? He chuckled under his breath, or would Hell eventually develop multistory skyscraper buildings as the Humans had?

His thought's sobered as his own Guilt resurfaced. What did it mean for the rest of The Lilim, who had been so desperate to have him, any Celestial, back in Hell that they had conspired to possess Humans? He had been so angry at the threat to young Charlie, to the fear he had seen in Doctor Linda's and The Detective's eyes that he had simply ordered their demise. Should he have been less angry, been kinder and explained to them why they were wrong?

Everything would have been different if his Leadership style was less Attila the Hun and more Queen Elizabeth II. Maybe they wouldn't have possessed the Humans in the first place.

Maybe Hell didn't need a King. Maybe The Lilim had simply replaced their devotion from Lilith to him? Lilith. It always returned to Lilith. He would wish that Lilith had never left this Loop but then Maze, his oldest friend, would not exist. He felt sorry that in all that time he had never truly told Mazikeen how much he valued her. That she had been a friend and ally not a servant.

Lucifer sighed. He needed to help The Lilim overcome the hatred Lilith had instilled in them. Hell didn't need to be the dreary, horrid place it was for them. They could perhaps find somewhere like here, and feel sunshine and not ash on their skin. Perhaps if they had a more defined purpose they would be ...more content if not happier. Perhaps that is how he could return to The Detective without fear of the Demons coming to Earth. He thought of all that Bill had told him. The Feast, why should The Lilim be there, what did it mean?

“Bill, tell me of The Feast.”

Bill raised a silencing hand and stood up looking to The Lake, after a moment ensuring the playful cries were indeed playful Bill sat down again.

“The Demons, the Small Ones don't need to breath, why worry about drowning?” Lucifer was puzzled by Bills vigilance.

“Everyone worries about the Small Ones.”

“Why?”

“They are Small.” Obviously.

“Are there predators in the Lake?”

The Demon gave him an odd look. “No.”

“Then why are you worried about the Small Ones. Besides them being Small?”

The Demon tilted its head again. “The lake is deep. If they sink and walk the wrong way they would be hard to find.”

Lucifer took a moment to imagine that and couldn't help chuckling at the thought of a Small Demon eventually walking out of the Lake looking like a Creature from the Black Lagoon.

Bill's eyes narrowed.

“I'm sorry, I think I am just very tired.” Lucifer raised both hands apologetically.

Bill looked the the sky, the 'Sun' was at the horizon and called out for The Small Ones to leave the lake before turning back to Lucifer. “I will show you a place to rest.”

“Where do The Small Ones go at 'Night'?”

“There is a village behind the trees.

Lucifer was puzzled that was a half an hours walk down stream. Bill saw the puzzlement and smiled. “Just behind the trees.” Lucifer looked around the side of the home and indeed behind a line of trees he could now see the lights in the windows of the numerous homes that were less than 100 feet from them. It hadn't looked like that in Lilith's time. Bill added, “Convenient.” The Small Ones walked up the hill towards the lights, when Bill was sure all were accounted for turned to Lucifer and guided him into the nearby home. The inside in no way matched with what he remembered, but did have a perfectly modern, by Earth standards, comfortable lounge suite. It was extra long and accommodated Lucifer's height perfectly. Even the scatter cushions were comfortable and soft.

Lucifer had thought he knew everything that he needed to know about Hell, he couldn't help wondering if had traveled to the wrong Hell and had somehow ended up in another Universe's version. He took off his clothes, ensuring his phone was protected in its pocket, and down to only his underpants he lay down. He pulled a soft crocheted blanket off the top of the sofa and moved a cushion to lie more comfortably under his ear. In all the time he had been in Hell 'sleep' had been short periods of stolen rest between The Lilim infighting and the smell of the Infernal Ash that had always left him ill at ease. He never would have found peace being in a room with a soul in it as the perpetual soundtrack of their indiscretions, crimes and other horrors would be completely incompatible with sleep. He used to permanently feel tired, cranky and, he realized now, had been somewhat unhinged. But here everything was clean and smelled fresh and sweet. He was thinking about the clean linen smell of the cushion and how it reminded him of Doctor Linda's office when he fell asleep.

He dreamed of The Detective kissing him and telling him she loved him.

When Lucifer awoke he felt rested and refreshed. After dressing he went outside to the sight of 'dawn' in The Gardens. He took a deep breath of the fresh air and felt the slight breeze that rustled the leaves of the trees. Unlike Earth there was no birdsong and there was a general feeling of emptiness and unreality. Compared to the outside nature of Hell though, this was ...Heaven.

He walked to the lake and it did look inviting. Crouching down onto his haunches he dipped a hand in the cool clear water. He rubbed his fingers together it felt like water, he raised it to his lips, and tasted like water. Standing up and stepping back to the bank he started to take off his jacket placing it on a dry area before turning back to the lake and continuing to undress. When naked he walked into the water, crisp but invigorating rather than cold. When his feet couldn't touch the ground anymore he leaned back and allowed his body to float on the surface. He stared at the sky, the last fading light of the 'Stars' giving way to the vivid oranges, purples and blues of the sky bouncing the light of the impending rising of the 'Sun'. He closed his eyes and as he floated he thought.

The first months after Lucifer had returned to Hell he learned the history of The Demons and The Lilim. He would learn of The Feast, though not understand. He would force himself to spend days in Hell Proper, as he thought of it, and deliberately and calmly spend time with The Lilim, praising restrained Room punishments and calmly explaining why he felt disappointed in cases of over-excess. He would find he was asking himself 'What would The Detective do?' multiple times a day and having imagined conversations with her. Using those imagined ideas in how he dealt with The Lilim. They often looked at him as though he were mad and would scoff and roll their eyes, but when he observed them, yet they didn't think he was looking, they would gravitate toward him and preen after he had laid a hand on their shoulders and grin after he praised them.

When Hell became too Hellish he would escape to the sanctuary of his Sofa in The Gardens and he would dream. Odd dreams. He dreamed of Ms Lopez despairing at her inability to find a suitable husband. Of Dan apologizing and telling him he was scared. Always of The Detective telling him of her love for him. He dreamed of The Urchin singing. He dreamed of them asking him to come home. He dreamed he spoke with Doctor Linda sometimes he awoke to her fading voice asking him, 'How does that make you feel?' He always felt rejuvenated and ready to reenter Hell after.

He had asked Bill about empty rooms in Hell for The Lilim but it seemed that those that had been deemed convenient to The Demons had been made into extra Will-Locked entrances to The Gardens, open only to Them and now Lucifer. The original Loop environs absorbed and changed into what was most useful and 'convenient' for The Demons. It made sense that was how the rooms could contain items from different time periods. How the Small Ones had been able to move in and out of The Gardens to explore Hell, which they found fascinating, and also able to so quickly avoid The Lilim and himself in past times. Especially necessary in earlier days when they were routinely kicked away. He felt very sorry about those actions and apologized profusely to Bill and the other 'Adult' Demons. They just laughed and told him 'It taught us how to run!' When he Willed the knowledge he could see the interconnected entrances, if he had been a little less angry and a little more calm and curious he would have discovered them sooner.

Bill informed him that The Demons could tell another Ascension, another Feast, was close and that would lead to an empty room that The Lilim may want to explore. Lucifer was eager to leave Hell and as The Detective would do, he'd 'follow every lead' even if he didn't understand it. Over the first few months Lucifer observed how the older Demons had moved away from what he had originally observed as their 'roles' on his initial arrival to Hell almost 11,000 years ago. They now shared the tasks of listening to the souls as they progressed through the Stages of Sorrow and Apology and actively guided during the Stage of Redemption. Lucifer had spent a long time on Earth wishing that none of his friends would ever witness Hell, but now he found moments in the day where he yearned for The Detective to be here to sort out The Lilim. Ms Lopez to share easy hugs for the sake of hugs and Doctor Linda, purely to see what she thought of The Demon's guidance methods.

The Demons guided those that were closest to Ascension. Time in Hell wasn't a true marker as to how long a Hell experience lasted. Those with more to be guilty about, more crimes to atone for stayed longer. Lucifer wondered how long Cain would be in Hell for, as his innumerable crimes had been committed over almost 11,000 years. It took thousands of years for some to atone for stealing a cow, surely Cain would be in Hell until The Heat Death of The Universe! Lucifer wondered if that was his Father's plan and why Cain had been allowed to live so long. Lucifer didn't think the amount of suffering Cain caused was worth the extended punishment. Lucifer had yet another lock added to Cains door. Whatever Father's plan it was Lucifer's Will that Cain would never be free.

Bill let slip that they had been keeping a casual eye on the very newest of souls just before he had returned. They were watching for traces of his interactions with the peoples of Earth. Lucifer learned that to The Demons, Hell wasn't just a place, but a State of Mind. That even when he wasn't physically in Hell, they thought he carried Hell with him as he had not worked through the stages and they felt a responsibility to watch him. Lucifer thought that much of what The Demons said was akin to metaphysical gobbledygook but he humored them by nodding.

The Adult Demons started to congregate around the one pillar and he was attracted to the chatter.

“Soon.” They said. As he was eager to understand what they were seeing he entered The Room. The sensation of Punishment was absent and instead a sensation of ...cautious Anticipation. That must be what they felt. As Lucifer stepped into the room he ensured that he would not be witnessed, and moved to the side where three other Demons were sitting also watching. The room looked like the inside of a Bronze Age Roundhouse and was dark, dimly lit by the small central fire. The smoke, wafting up to slowly disperse between the thatch of the steeply angled roof, was a comforting aroma in an otherwise dank place. Lucifer leaned against the wattle and daub wall and observed. The Room was ...stuttering around them. The fire when observed closely was not one continuous flame but an amalgam of multiple fires at multiple times constantly shifting angles and, once noticed, obvious in its disconformity. The Soul, a Man, simply sitting watching the fire. His face a quickly changing mosaic of different emotions, grief, fear, resolution, contemplation. After a time The Rooms stuttering stopped and the smooth 'playback' of the Loop resumed and the events leading to the Man's Hell was explained. Extreme cold, lack of food and disease that had killed those of his village. Extreme fatigue. No hope of food or even fuel for the dying fire. His sickly child and himself the only ones left. There was no hope.

“No hope, I couldn't watch my boy anymore.” Lucifer translated The Man's words. The Man shuddered, weeping, the once tightly held bloody knife in his hand fell to the floor. The Demon appearing next to him as a human woman and placed her hand on his curved back.

“You felt guilty, but you are not guilty.”

Lucifer left the roundhouse but not The Room. The 'outside' a collection of other roundhouses within the village. Their forlorn thatch roofs covered houses that once were homes. An isolated village with desolate frost covered land surrounding. Animal pens long empty, the sea whipped into a churning white capped, deep gray frenzy by the bitter wind, rhythmically pounding against the boulders of the shore. The Room stuttered again and the rough, rolling motion of the sea stopped. The silence absolute. He looked to the discordant sky, multiple moments of 'remembered' somber dark gray sky flashed over in its quick changing. Brief moments of blue sky and and dark star filled night stuttered for seconds, before returning to the static effect of the ever changing gray. The 'Loop' restarted and the sound of the waves crashed again. One last deep breath of the fresh salty air before Lucifer quickly left the The Room, returning to Hell.

That Man shouldn't have been in Hell in the first place. What he had done eased suffering when no other option was available. Yet he had felt guilt. If for no other reason Lucifer was glad he was back to see that Redemption for souls was possible. So many felt guilt for crimes, 'misdemeanors' as The Detective would say. So many were punished, or punished themselves, after death in earlier less enlightened times. In the year 2019 on Earth the same 'crimes' may be treated with anything from counseling and kindness, even celebration, to a slap on the wrist at it's worst but certainly not Hell. Lucifer had often thought it unfair that a murderer and a petty thief were punished to Hell equally. At least now on Earth there was the distinction between deliberate and accidental murder. Not so for those who were sent to Hell. He had used to rail against his Father at the unjustness of Hell. But perhaps that was why he gave Hell The Demons?

But that didn't solve his current problem. The Room contained shelter and a sea. But he didn't think that a sea would be a draw card for The Lilim. He looked out to the Pillars and up to the dreaded ash. This wouldn't be enough to stop The Lilim from any future nefarious plans. He had no say in the future and what would happen. Even if he promised to return to Hell often, what if something happened and they came looking for him again?

He turned to the rotund, dumpy one whose name was Kade. Although given the name meant 'round and lumpy' perhaps that wasn't its original name. It seemed that Demons and Lilim were, like him, prone to changing names when it suited them. “How long to go?”

Kade shrugged, “Today, Tomorrow the next day...”

Lucifer wished for a cigarette. He had tried once being in a Loop where cigarettes existed, but they provided no satisfaction and he never tried again. He wondered if he could quickly go to Earth and get some of Doctor Linda's numerous text books that she had in her office and give them to The Demons to hurry along the counseling process. But he knew there was nothing quick about going to Earth, he would be too tempted to not return. No. He had spent over 10,000 years ignoring and stunting The Lilim. Causing havoc for The Demons, delaying their work in aiding souls while they hid away avoiding them. Now was the time to fix his mistakes.

'You felt guilty, but you are not guilty.' Perhaps it was the tone of voice, but for a moment he had felt such a reminder of his sessions with Doctor Linda that he understood it was grossly unjust for him to have benefited from the advantages of therapy, and the revelations it had brought to him, and yet deny The Lilim. It hadn't been their fault they were born of hatred. He had seen how Mazikeen had flourished with Love. His decision now was should he ask The Demons to continue in finding an empty Room for The Lilim, or should the focus be on directly counseling The Lilim as he had done with the Doctor. Until The Lilim came to their own realizations that hate and anger only led to more hate and anger he couldn't go home, he couldn't risk his family and friends being hurt. He would do anything to keep The Detective safe.

He went back to The Lilim who congregated around the 'Palace', Lilith's old Hell rooms and Lucifer saw the hundreds of them, whittled down from the original thousands Lilith had created. He asked for them all to be gathered in The Great Hall as soon as possible. As he sat down on the rarely used lower throne, he thought.

When The Lilim amassed, he began by reminding them what he was capable of if he was disrespected or lied to. When the murmurs and rustling of cloth died down he asked them, “What do you want? What do you desire?” Having never been asked before none knew how to answer. With eyes downcast and heads bowed they could not see him attempt to make eye contact to ask them personally, so he stood and calmly walked over to the nearest Lilim Demon. With a gentle hand to the shoulder they raised their head, slightly moving into the touch but minutely shaking their head.

“We don't know...”

“No, not we, you. What do you want?”

“I, I don't know.”

In times past Lucifer would have been angered by the response, wouldn't even consider that they may truly not know. His anger would have set off another who invariably would have started a fight with the first in an attempt to show greater loyalty. “Anyone, does anyone know what they want?” Lucifer changed tact. “What would make you happy?”

“Happy, My Lord?” One further back in the crowd asked.

“Yes, what would make you happy?” That question raised some chuckles among the crowd.

“I am happy punishing the newbies.” Said one voice from the back of the crowd and Lucifer nodding and kept walking around The Great Hall, a touch to a shoulder here, a touch to one's cheek. A smile on eye contact to one, and a 'good' and a nod to another's answer. He remembered how Doctor Linda would ask questions until he found the answers. He remembered how The Detective said that The Urchin didn't deserve the new doll simply because she had destroyed the old one. Well the Demons who had directly defied him had been dealt with, that must mean the ones that were left deserved the prize?

“I like the way they scream when they realize they are in Hell.” That answer raised cheers. Another answered with “Sex makes me happy.” That caused guffaws with multiple whispers and the response “Sex with you makes me happy, ...for five minutes!” More chuckles. Lucifer smiled and worked his way towards the throne. He sat and waited a moment until collectively they took a step closer to listen to him.

The Detective, Dan and Charlotte had taught him that trick. How humans could manipulate an interview simply by not starting straight away. Dan had said it was standard practice. Dear Charlotte said it made the other person nervous if you moved random papers for a while, that junior Prosecution Lawyers were unsettled by it, even when they knew it was a trick. The Detective had argued that he wasn't always there to use his Mojo and there were other ways to deal with suspects. When he had all their attention again, he continued. “You are all very accomplished punishers and I am proud of each and every one of you.” There was the preening he had seen with Maze all those years ago but did not fully understand. “But what about at the end of the day. When you are tired of punishing, what makes you happy?” This time he didn't give a chance for them to answer with the inevitable 'Fighting' and 'Sex' answers.

“Do you want to know what would make me happy for you?” There was shrugging, whispers of 'what', 'I don't understand' and 'what's he on about?'

“I would be happy to see you warm, comfortable and clean.” He ignored the 'I'm not cold', 'I'm comfortable' and 'I don't smell' responses and carried on. “It would make me happy to see you out of the Ash, to see you … content.” Lucifer would think of them as sessions, he hoped if Doctor Linda were to see, she would be proud.

Afterward he offered those Lilim who wanted to return to see what was to occur in the 'Roundhouse' Room to join him for the wait. Over time more and more of The Demons would congregate outside the Pillar, but with the waiting there grew the boredom and as The Demon numbers increased The Lilim's decreased to none. Lucifer found the waiting interminable and likened it to the anxious anticipatory wait of a breeder waiting for their next prize racehorse's birth. After more waiting The Demons entered, and at some silent call The Oldest and The Youngest also joined. Bill waived him in and he stepped over the threshold into The Room.

Quietly and invisibly they moved in, The Room altering to cater for the numbers until all that remained was the steeply pitched thatch roof and the small desolate fire now completely still and unwavering. The Man was still and staring into the fire, a look of peace on his face. More time passed until all of The Demons were in The Room quiet and invisible. Another Demon also appearing as the same woman he had seen the first time stepped forward and touched the stooped man's back.

“You are not guilty. Are you ready to find Peace?” Even though the fire was small and still the light made the front of the 'woman' glow. Any human who witnessed this would think she were an Angel.

The Man slowly rose his head and closed his eyes, a look of peace on his face before he slowly smiled. The Light in the room started to increase. “Yes.” He answered and The Light swelled further as The Demons surrounding Lucifer leaned forward in anticipation. The Light, preternatural and glorious filled the room giving all an overwhelming sense of Peace and Love as the Man's soul ascended from Hell to Heaven. Lucifer recognized The Light, a minuscule glimpse into the power held in The Silver City. Glorious but …wholly unnecessary for it to seep into Hell during the process. This process was no accident or side effect, but entirely orchestrated. His Father had planned this for The Demons.

Lucifer looked around him, The Demons appeared giddy and drunk-like, very similar to a Human's reaction to his wings. Instead of religious fervor there was simply ...fervor. Even after The Man's image disappeared and The Light dimmed the sensation of giddy satisfaction built and he took a deep breath and sighed at the sensation of Peace, Love and contentment. Slowly The Demons filed out of the Roundhouse into The Room with a mood of joyfulness as The Smallest of the Small Ones were carried or lead out, and The Oldest of The Old assisted. There was chitinous laughter from The Younglings and back slaps and honking guffaws from the older as all shared in a sensation of collective celebration. The Feast.

Lucifer remained sitting looking at the Roundhouse, restored into the shelter he had seen the first time. How long had Hell projected this room until it became a part of it rather than simply the Man's memory? At least 5000 years, Lucifer would guess. The small central fire moving in a natural-looking flicker, projecting light and heat despite the lack of replenished fuel. Lucifer took a deep breath of the musty, smoky but comforting air and looked around him at those who remained with him. Bill, Kade, Kumar The Older and young Pox. Looking down to his right leg an even younger One whose name he did not know, had its arms and legs stretched around his lower leg clutching on like a Lemur with it's head resting against his knee. Lucifer reached down and softly stroked over the small warm head even though he didn't know why he would, it just ...seemed like the thing to do. The tiny creature 'hummed' and nestled closer to his leg. Lucifer could feel the tiny claws rhythmically kneading into his leg as softly as a kitten.

He felt rejuvenated ...recharged.

He heard a 'Beep' and the anachronism had him puzzled until he thought to reach down and pull out the familiar weight of his phone. The front screen was on showing the wrong date and time and obviously there was no signal but the buttons worked and he quickly navigated to his photos. The battery already showing 95% remaining. He opened the album marked The Detective and Friends and quickly navigated to his favorite pictures, he had a series of four photos of The Detective at her desk. Flicking through the four photos gave the impression of her turning to him and smiling. He missed her so. He sighed and flicked through to the next photo of The Urchin wearing cat ears and broadly smiling, lollipop in hand with stickers attached to her face.

“Is that your Small One, my... Lucifer?” Pox asked leaning over his left arm. Bill next to him leaned forward to look.

“No, that is The Urchin, Beatrice. The Detective, ...Chloe's Daughter. Her Small One.” He flicked back to his favorite photo. “The Detective, Chloe, is very ...dear to me.” He smiled and quickly flicked through more photos of him and Eve taken by one of his servers as they stood like royalty on the stairs in Lux. He quickly flicked through to the series of photos The Urchin had sent him. One of her and The Douche, a close up of their faces, heads together laying down on the beach on their bellies and looking up, smiling broadly at the camera. “That is Beatrice and her Father. Dan is … a good Father. He loves Beatrice very much.” Being a good parent was high praise for The Demons. “He makes many mistakes and bad choices though.” His eyes flicked to the battery counter 72%

“That is the Human way,” Kumar The Older said, “they learn.”

More Demons, whose names he didn't know crowded around him. Lucifer flicked through the photos until he found a series from The Precinct. “This is officer Joan. When a vile man named Julian McCaffrey finds his way to Hell, do make sure he suffers for murdering her, she was a lovely, kind lady.”

“We will.” Said a Demon toward the back of the now small crowd.

Lucifer flicked to the next photo, a laughing Ms Lopez.

“I know of her, she has seen much injustice.” Kumar The Older added.

Lucifer frowned. The Demons obviously had the privilege of seeing into people's lives from viewing the contents of The rooms, but not Ms Lopez surely? Who would harm such a bright soul? “I ...don't want to know the details but make sure they suffer, she is like a little sister to me. Anyone who harms any of these people. They are my family. Make sure they understand.” 54% remaining. He flicked to the next folder. “This is my Brother...”

“We know of him and remember well. He is very …angry.” Bill said.

“He has mellowed out a bit. He has a Small One now.” They all leaned forward to view a picture of Charlie. There was much chittering and pushing to see the picture. Young ones were celebrated. “This is Charlie's Mother,” a picture of a tired but pleased Doctor Linda at the hospital with the newborn, “she is a very accomplished therapist and helps guide many Humans, she has been an ...invaluable friend to me.” Another picture of Maze holding Charlie a tender smile on her face. The noise around him increased as they viewed the image.

“Mazikeen of The Lilim has found Balance.” Bill said sounding ...proud. 'Unbelievable', 'Bill was right', 'I don't believe it,' and 'it's true', heard from the crowd. Lucifer moved on to a picture of Amenadiel, Linda, Maze and Charlie. All looked happy in the days before the fear instilled by Dromos and his stupid gang.

“Dromos and the other Lilim that I ...punished, they had possessed Humans on Earth and when Charlie, my Nephew was mere days old They stole him away from his parents...” Lucifer was interrupted by The Demons around him expressing their disgust at removing a Youngling and possessing Humans. “The Lilim who came to Earth wanted to bring Charlie to Hell to be a New King.”

“Noooo, did they hurt the Small One?” Pox asked, captivated by the story, a look of grave concern on his small face.

Lucifer didn't know why but he lifted his left arm up and over Pox's shoulders and hugged him close. “No, Pox. I became as big and scary as I could and ordered them all back to Hell.” Why was he speaking in this odd manner, as if he were The Detective speaking to The Urchin? He looked up to the smoky thatched roof a moment and shook his head realizing that his head was slightly foggy as if he had drunk multiple bottles of the finest smoky flavored Whisky. He slowly blinked then looked back down to the phone, 22% he quickly flicked back to his favorite image of his Love. “That is why I am here, to protect them.” He stared at her face, determined to remember each freckle and the way each hair had flicked around her face. 'I love you Chloe.' Using his thumb and index he zoomed in onto her eyes and he was admiring all the fine lines around her laughing eyes when the phone turned off, battery drained. Lucifer sighed. It would have made him angry in the past, but now he just felt grateful that he had the opportunity to see the images once more.

For a time they stayed together in the Roundhouse until the hand that had been on his right shoulder starting rubbing and a voice said, “Come on, let's go explore.'' Billion reached down to pick up the Youngling from around his leg.

Outside the Roundhouse the air was fresh and briny and it helped to make him more alert from the smoky dimness of the house. The sky still overcast and gray and the waves were again pounding on the shore. The Loop continued but with a sense of peacefulness. The Small Ones had found a ball made of woven straw and were moving it around the frost laden barren field either by kicking or hitting it with a big stick that had also been found. All were unconcerned by the frost. Some Demons were exploring the other roundhouses, he saw one pair talk over a bowl that had been found. Everywhere he looked from the Ones in groups watching over the shoreline to ensure no curious Small Ones wandered in, to the Older Ones simply sitting around and laughing, all seemed joyous. This was The Feast.

Father had to have deliberately engineered this. Was it The Demon's prize for having to deal with the lowest of the low Human souls? Bill kept talking of 'Balance' did this give them balance? Hell was obviously engineered for all but The Lilim who weren't designed for the ecosystem of Hell. Maze proved it was possible though for them to find contentment and that gave him, or maybe The Feast gave him renewed vigor to reform them. To ensue the Earth would never be in danger from The Lilim again.

Billion leaned forward and gave Lucifer's arm a pat. “Now you are in the Stage of Redemption.” Bill smiled before moving off to speak with another, the sleepy Youngling passed over to another with only one arm. Lucifer would need to speak to them about that.

Over the next few months Lucifer would continue spending time and simply talking, but mostly listening, to The Lilim. The conversations were incredibly boring so Lucifer tried to channel his inner Doctor and would often find himself wishing for a pair of glasses or a note pad while continuing to sit and listen. As suspected The Lilim were not interested in moving into the empty Roundhouse Room, but they did spend time in there. More often then not unnerved by the peacefulness and in the beginning only staying briefly before fleeing back to the environment they had known all their lives. Over time they began to see the benefit of the empty room and the ability to fully explore the environment free from the pervading sense of any souls punishment.

The next Feast was determined to occur in a room inhabited by another Man, this one more of a Man-child. Seventeen at best. The Room's inhabitant was in a primitive tent made of leathered hide. Outside the tent were the wide endless plains of The Great Steppe, a vast area of Eurasia that covered, what would be in 2019, an area stretching from Bulgaria to Russia, Mongolia and China. Vast areas home to many nomadic peoples and travelers. In this case a young Man who had blamed himself for the horses becoming free in the night, becoming startled by the ever present snakes and abandoning them, and for an unknown reason not returning. The Hell Loop an endless playback of the tent and then walking until he and his small group could walk no more.

The Lilim would hate it. Peaceful or not. While Lucifer knew this wasn't the opportunity he was looking for there was still The Feast. This time he was able to convince 26 of The Lilim to join them. It had been a chore to have them stay quiet and invisible, part of him was scared it would not work and they would run screaming from the emotions released by The Light of The Feast.

Finally, a Demon again took on the role of guide, this time the visage of a young man. “You feel it was your fault, but you were faultless.” The man nodded, head bowed. Later. “It was not your fault, are you ready to find Peace?”

“Yes”

The process of The Light and The Feast repeated, The Lilim were completely intoxicated by the event and while Lucifer again repeated his process of viewing and explaining his precious pictures for all Demon's who wanted to look, he would from time to time look out to The Lilim who were prostrate on the floor of the Nomads Tent.  
Eventually outside the tent The Demons gathered in groups, many with Younglings in arms sitting down on the ground, the Small Ones running around. This Room had little to explore and was unsuitable for his plan for The Lilim, yet the Peace remained.

The Lilim in the tent would remain intoxicated by The Feast for days before finally rising and giving in to orgies and their own celebrations. It was an unexpected result, but Lucifer used it as an example by showing the others what they were missing while their fellow Lilim writhed on the floor of the tent. But with every up, came a down and Lucifer's plan would be stalled by the inherent mistrust of emotions and new experiences. There were many fights to break up and in many ways it was a step back until The Demons announced several months later there would soon be another Feast. Every one of the Lilim who had been present for the Feast in the Nomad's Tent was quick to go and wait outside the relevant pillar like junkies awaiting their next fix. It was that fervor and their own inherent jealousy and fear of missing out that had hundreds more wait their turn. In the end there were 170 Lilim who went into The Room. Another Room not suitable to Lucifer's grand plan, a primitive shelter, the Soul a young Suomusjärvi woman. From a group of people that spread from the East into Finland 9000 years ago. It was a long time to suffer and find redemption from the Guilt of dying in childbirth.

This time a Demon appeared as an aged woman, heavily covered in furs. “Are you ready to find Peace?”

“Yes.”

This room contained a primitive shelter and a dense cold forest. And a copious amount of snow. Lucifer hated snow, he hated the way it got into his shoes. For The Demons after the joys of The Feast was over it was inconvenient. For The Lilim it was unsuitable. After the week-long intoxicated orgy and a month more as the rest of The Lilim filed through to experience the peacefulness, which in itself was becoming something yearned for, The Room was reabsorbed by Hell after it hadn't been visited in over a week. Much like the Nomad's Tent Room. Despite Lucifer's misgivings The Roundhouse Room was still regularly being visited. He started a schedule where at lease two Lilim must be in The Room at any one time in order to keep it active.

It quickly became apparent to Lucifer that no matter the memories of the Souls in The Rooms or what Hell could conjure up to show them during punishment it was the site of the persons 'Torment' that became the final configuration of The Room after The Feast.

Another Feast, completely unsuitable to all, a Man clinging to the side of a wooden plank from a sunken ship, guilty that he had survived longer than his compatriots, guilty that his family would never know what became of him, guilty that the coin earned wouldn't reach his Mother or Sister and instead had sunk to the bottom of the Ocean.

Bill told him Hell would accommodate for The Feast but they did not know what to do with the Lilim who would inevitably be intoxicated for weeks. It would be a very difficult rescue if somehow one had sunk to the base of the Hell imagined Ocean. Lucifer paced the trails outside The Pillar as Bill observed him. 'What would The Detective do?' Lucifer asked himself as he kicked up fallen ashes. He considered being silent, The Lilim had missed The Feasts since the beginning of Hell, what was a few more? Would they trust him if he lied... No he could not lie.

In the end Lucifer called The Lilim to The Great Hall and asked for the one they most trusted among them. After much arguing Wangyankeen was chosen. Then in a stroke of genius Lucifer asked for the least trusted. All fingers pointed to Aischos .

Lucifer tried not to smirk, “And how did you get that name?”

'He can not fight', 'his sword is too heavy', was heard from the crowd. Lucifer's smile disappeared, The Lilim's behavior was more disgraceful than the acts that likely resulted in the name. Lucifer looked at Aischos, maybe he was more Human than Lilim, maybe he was more Demon than Lilim but something about him had made him survive all this time yet not entirely conform to Lilim culture. It gave Lucifer an idea and he turned to the crowd and sought out three others that weren't smirking as widely, who weren't laughing as loudly making it look entirely random as he chose them to join in the smaller group.

“Do you all agree that this is a fair choice to provide advice and guidance to The Lilim? Do you all agree that none of these five would tell you a mistruth?”

“Aischos would not fight for us...” one argued from the crowd. There were other grumbles in the crowd.

Lucifer raised his hand. The crowd was silenced. “I am not asking for a fight, I am asking for the truth.” When there were no further arguments he turned to the five who looked like nervous prisoners awaiting trial. Lucifer took a moment to observe the motley group. Placing a hand over his mouth and chin he thought for a moment before smiling.

“Aischos,” Aischos stood to attention, “Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole true and nothing but the truth about what I am going to tell and show you? Before The Lilim and Myself?” When he said 'yes' the same was asked of Zardenkeen, Wangyankeen, Felix and Supay. Lucifer bristled at that last name, “Supay, that is a very ...bold name.”

“Just a name, My Lord.” Supay briefly made eye contact and appeared more nervous than ...brazen. Lucifer let it go, for now, but he would be watching the Demon who named himself after an Incan god of the underworld mythos.

Lucifer would go on to show the five the problems with the next Feast. All agreed they could not predict what would happen if one were to fall to into the Hell 'Sea'. While the Older Demons had ample practice at True will, the Small Ones, Younglings and Lilim did not. Two of the five had only witnessed the after effects of a Feast, the other three agreed among themselves they would not mind having their hands and feet tied up so that they could enjoy the event and then be carried out for safety. It was an entirely Un-Lilim suggestion and absolutely not something that Lucifer would have ever thought up himself. Lucifer retreated to his Sofa for days while he let the five argue with the rest of them. He slept and dreamed. In the end it was a select group of able-bodied adult Demons, 158 trussed up Lilim and himself who stayed for the souls Ascension. Immediately as the light faded they began hauling out the Lilim, it was a feat, but all were safe as long as a small group of Demon's collective Will maintained the large floating extension for them. With the last exiting The Room, Hell reverted to the single floating plank in the wild sea until it would inevitably be absorbed into itself.

There had been some ribbing and joking about the trussed up Lilim who thankfully remained in the near comatose condition for the travel to the Roundhouse Room. Where it was carefully observed that the trusses were cut and all were solemnly sworn to watch each other until they awoke. Lucifer would later learn that most who hadn't attended the feast joined in the orgies anyway. His phone had already discharged it's power when he checked after the last Lilim was secured. It had likely happened the moment he left The Room. He returned to his Sofa feeling sad. He missed The Detective. It had been over a year now and he was barely scratching the surface.

The next Feast was also a fail to his Grand Plan. It was a part success in having over half The Lilim attend and all the Demons where also able be there, but the snow and ice clad Mountain somewhere in The Urals would not be a good place for The Lilim and entirely too tedious to rescue any who rolled off the side of the mountain. A quick departure was arranged again. This time Lucifer stayed under the overhang with a few Demons who stayed to support him while the others carried the Lilim to The Roundhouse room. They viewed his pictures as he held the phone close to his body and Willed his temperature to raise. The Demon's who, he had learned gave support by touching, were pressed up against him. Unknowingly he had transformed into his Devil form, a sign of his distress and anxiety that the phone would not work in the extreme cold. It worked, but the battery discharged faster than other times. It was only when he went to put the phone away that he realized his hands had changed, had done so minutes before and he hadn't noticed being so absorbed in looking at his pictures. They left the fresh but frigid air and returned to the hated ash laden air of Hell.

Lucifer looked around himself, at the pillars and the blackened sky.

“Bill. What is the story with this Infernal Ash? When is the Great Night ever to end?” Lucifer shouted. “And where is this bloody ash coming from anyway, there are no volcanoes or cause for it, there is no wind to blow it around. It just constantly falls?”

“When The Great Father saw what Lilith was doing with The Demons and The Lilim He became angry...”

“Pox called it 'The Ashes of Lilith'”

“Yes it started after He destroyed Lilith.”

“When will it stop?”

Bill smiled “Soon.”

“Why does it not stop now?”

“There was no one to make it to stop.” The Demon smiled again.

Lucifer became angry at that answer, the infernal ash had been falling in all the time he had been there, every 'day' and longer. Simply because Father had forgotten to 'turn' it off. He looked up at the sky and raising his hands up he shouted a wordless cry of sound. He brought his hand to his face to wipe away the ash intending to shout more. Instead he tilted his head down to look at his fingers and he rubbed his thumb, index and middle fingers together squeezing the ash into a slightly oily feeling powder, similar to burned newsprint. He had enough. Enough of it all. He took a deep ash laden breath.

“Enough!” He shouted at the top of his lungs, as loud as he could, every atom of his body completely exhausted by it. To say he had had enough of the ash was an understatement, but for now it was all he could muster. “Enough!” he repeated.

The Demons around him hummed in expectation as ash that had been endlessly drifting and tumbling through the air for over 11,000 years stopped in mid air. Lucifer had been mid breath about to shout again when he stopped and leaned forward to look at the Ash, unstirring and hanging in mid air. “Enough.” This time a choked whisper and suddenly the ash descended straight to the ground and the air was still. Finally.

He turned to Bill who was smiling broadly.

“Is that it? The Great Night is over, it was me all along?”

“Soon.” Bill said again. Lilim who were in the area rushed up to him scared of the changes.

'My Lord, what is happening?', 'Why?', 'Are we in danger?', 'Did we do something wrong?' That last quiet comment drew his attention.

“No, you have done nothing wrong.” Lucifer said quietly, it had always been him, presuming and assuming, not asking the right questions at the right times, not stopping to listen when he needed to. Being ignorant. As his Father had said, not having the knowledge to know he was wrong, yet taking action anyway. Blaming others when his actions proved him wrong. He looked around at the dirty pathways, Hell was still filthy. He wished for rain.

When the first fat drops of rain fell against his head and cheek he knew his next action. He asked the Nearest Lilim their name. Zaydikeen.

“Zaydikeen, it is going to rain for a long time. Quickly go warn the Lilim to take shelter in The Roundhouse Room. Quickly, tell all that The Palace will not be safe.” 'It leaked ash' Lucifer said to himself, 'and it sure as Hell,' Lucifer smirked, 'it sure as Hell would leak water.'

Lucifer and The Demons walked to the nearest Gardens entrance and Lucifer stood alone outside, and watched the slow fat drops hit The Pillars and the ground for a long time. He opened all his senses to Hell, and when only a few straggler Lilim remained he Willed Hell to 'up' the intensity a bit. A true rain now, not a sprinkle or a shower, when he felt the last remaining Lilim had scrambled to The Roundhouse room he Willed the rain to equal the intensity of rains he had witnessed in January 2017 when parts of California had flooded. The storm water system had backed up and forced the temporary closure of many businesses in Lux's street for weeks. At the time he had holed up in Lux and alternated between stopping his Mum's nefarious plans and enjoying his time with one, or more, people in bed. He smiled and turned to enter The Room.

He entered The Gardens into the glorious sunshine and started to take off his now filthy clothes. In deference to The Small Ones he left his underpants on and he walked into the lake and lay back floating onto his back. Hours later he walked into the small home and fell down onto the sofa and slept. A long time later he woke to the words in a dream he had been having about The Detective. She had been talking with The Urchin telling her she loved both her children equally and there was no need to be jealous if she needed to spend more time with one than another. It had been the clearest dream he had ever experienced while in Hell. It was odd, but as he was constantly asking himself what The Detective would do in any given situation, it wasn't unsurprising that in a dream he would equate The Lilim and The Demons to children. He understood the subconscious message and stood up to go find his clothes. They had kindly been found and folded, sitting just outside the door, phone safe in its pocket. He Willed them clean and left The Gardens. Willed the flooding rain to stop long enough to reach The Roundhouse Room. The rains started again as he stepped over the threshold.

An orgy was going 'full swing', Lucifer chuckled under his breath at the intended pun. He walked and stepped around the writhing and thrusting bodies and into the empty Roundhouse that had once contained a soul. The small fire was warm, but the place was missing something. Lucifer closed his eyes and Willed his sofa and blanket. When he opened his eyes the room was just as he wished it. He pulled the hideous but comfortable blanket around his shoulders. This style of blanket was common in many people's homes in Los Angeles. Or the other dreaded, unstylish and hideous 'Doily' which served no real purpose but being ugly. He had even once seen The Detective wear a cardigan made in the same hideous square-block knit style. That too was ugly. She had probably bought it in a thrift shop along with much of her wardrobe. As Lucifer turned over on the sofa and adjusted his cushion he did hope that The Detective had bought something new for herself.

When he woke he went to the shoreline and removed his clothes, he swam for a long time before returning to the shore. He looked up to the sky and the urge to jump into the air was overwhelming. His wings unfurled and he flew until he felt tired. He returned to the shore and collected his clothes, but the drying tacky saltiness on his skin stopped him from dressing. He carried them to the frosty fallow field. He closed his eyes and Willed for a lake similar to the one in The Gardens. Hell stuttered for a moment before compromising on a water hole the size of an Olympic swimming pool. Lucifer assumed that meant he had reached the limits a Hell Room could assimilate parts from other Rooms, but he would ask Bill or another senior Demon to be sure.

He placed his clothes away from the water and stepped in, it was barely up to his shoulders, but it was fresh and sweet. Over time Lilim would join him and ask why he wasn't joining in the orgy.

“When you find your One and they are your Only, you don't need or want anyone else.” He would tell them.

They stayed in The Room for days until Lucifer was sick of all the talk of how 'sex-sore' they were. Didn't stop some of them from still going at it though. When he thought that the last traces of ash must surely be gone he left The Room.

Hell smelled faintly like ozone, The Pillars and the pathways glistened. He looked to the sky, what looked like smudged wide stars, faintly glowing dotted the sky. He observed them for a moment before he understood he was seeing the light from inverted stars that had gone supernova billions of years ago on the 'Living Plane' where Earth and the other Realms existed. Hell was beyond that Universe, wholly independent of it's Laws of Physics and Nature. He took a deep cleansing breath and smiled. Soon he would be able to go home.

The next Feast was a never ending landscape of Savannah Plains. The soul a women guilty over leaving her children Motherless and not being able to return her gathered food to her people after being bitten by a deadly Black Mamba and dying. She had also felt that the snake had been the reincarnated spirit of a woman she had indirectly caused the death of when she was a young woman which had led to thousands and thousands of years in Hell. The Feast held all Demons and All Lilim. The Demon's enjoyed the river now free of all wildlife. The Lilim carrying on like usual after a period of a near comatose state. Lucifer felt immense pride that it was The Lilim who eventually voiced that they liked the land and the water hole with it's cloudless all encompassing sunny blue sky. Supay said it made a nice change from the overcast sky of Roundhouse. The Lilim had even started giving Rooms a name. Lucifer smiled proudly.

The Feast after was on an honest to goodness pirate ship. Well the French people who owned the beautiful Soleil Royal would vehemently disagree and be quite offended at the comparison as no actual Pirates were actually ever present. To the sensibilities of someone from 2019 looking up at the awesome vessel, the term 'pirate ship' would be bandied about. Thankfully, for Lucifer's plan, the Soul had once had access to almost all of the ship and the Hell version was almost complete.

After the Ascension and after viewing his pictures The Demons moved back to The Gardens with a few to mind Roundhouse and Savannah at Lucifer's request. Lucifer stayed with The Lilim who were eventually cognizant enough to explore. After each feast the time between comatose state to orgy to alertness was decreasing. The stored food and barrels of Wine and other spirits found were an absolute winner. Much like on Earth, Lucifer was unable to get to the level of drunkenness he would choose, but the pay off was still the flavor and texture as the drinks slid down his throat. There were enough individual spaces below deck that each Lilim could claim as their own and a large enough space on deck that all could congregate. Lucifer claimed the Captains Rooms, complete with a plush bed. He stretched back on the bed and drank more wine from his opened bottle from the Captain's private collection. He wondered if maybe, eventually, he could find an empty Room that had housed a 1980's stockbroker and he could one day have a bath full of cocaine. He giggled, maybe the residual Feast had made him a little drunk.

It was Aischos who was the first Lilim to discover an important facet of the True Will they possessed beyond recalling their weapons and providing glamour over their Lilim deformities. Aischos discovered if he wished it enough he could make an empty wine barrel full again.

Lucifer left The Room and went to Roundhouse and Willed away the small waterhole and in its place had a scaled down replica of the Soleil's cargo room placed instead. Savannah he left perfect as it was. Again he asked the Demons to continue 'minding' the rooms until The Lilim were able to decide what they wanted. After seven days in The Gardens going through the process of thanking every one of his Demon friends and promising, and meaning it, to Pox that he would return he made his way to the Soleil Royale. He ordered all the now alert Lilim to return to The Great Hall.

In comparison to the Empty rooms, The Hall felt ...dead. It was that contrast he needed to make his final points. He waited for the final Lilim and invited Demons to wander in. The effects of the wine and spirits now lifted and they were all clear headed as he told them the truth. He would be going home, but would return to visit. The Rooms there for them as long as they tended to them. He encouraged them to think about how much they would miss them if they were not cared for and reabsorbed into Hell, never again to return. He told them to listen to the opinions of The Five. Their jobs as punishers would continue at their own pace. They were encouraged to learn from The Demons who were the only ones who could lead them to the next Feast and to source new Rooms. Lucifer encouraged them to be kind to those who may not be a fighter, but who were able to provide in other ways. His pointed look at Aischos drove home his message. Any who defied his rules on possession or traveling to Earth would feel his anger and he would smite so thoroughly there would be another Great Night. The Lilim started to argue his departing until among themselves the arguments died down as they accepted the change.

Bill turned to him and smiled.

“Are you ready to feel Peace, Lucifer?”

“Yes.” The glowing light of his unfurled wings, while not as bright as a Feast, still provided them some fervor. With a final look around Lucifer traveled through the planes and returned to Earth.

The Silver City

Be'el flew as fast as she could over the grass plains and hills between Heaven and The Gates of The Silver City, she had to see Father as soon as possible. The news she had was so shocking she couldn't contain her emotions and tears fell as she landed at The Gates and furled her wings with only a nod in Cassiel and Gavreel's direction. She ran through The Gates, and as soon as able jumped up into the air, unfurled and flew, soaring over the plains of Elys and to the edge of The 'City. She soared over The Limits, the outer edges of The 'City, until just before she reached The Towers and the spaces between became too small to fly and too crowded to land in. The others parted as she ran through The Courtyard and up The Steps to her Father's Sanctum. She pushed apart the doors to The Hall and entered.

“Sister, sister! What is wrong Be'el?” Hadraniel asked when he looked up to see who had entered The Hall unannounced and saw his distressed sister.

“Be', what has happened?” Ishim added, taking a step towards their sister. Be'el was flushed from her flight, quietly weeping and in obvious distress. Hadraniel moved forward to comfort her, but Be'el moved away from his embrace.

“I must see Father, I must see Father, something terrible has happened.”

“Calm yourself, My Child.” All turned at Fathers voice. Be'el ran up to Father.

“Something terrible has happened, Father. Something terrible.” Be'el sat down on the nearby steps and wiped the tears from her eyes. At the comforting touch at her hair she looked up at the calming smile of her Father.

“Tell me child.”

“It was, it was horrible,” Be'el sniffed, “I was in Heaven, speaking with the Humans and one said...” Be'el wiped away the tears again, “Kalon of Eridu said living in Heaven was like, ...was like being in ...Hell, Father. He said being here was Hell.”

Both Hadraniel and Ishim had taken a step forward to hear what was said and when they heard that both gasped. Everybody knew that Heaven was Heaven and Hell was ...Hell. How could the two be compared? They all looked up to Father to see his reaction and were all shocked that the warm smile was unchanged.

“Well I'm sure for Kalon of...”

“Eridu, Father.”

“For Kalon of Eridu that he may feel that way...”

“Father, he said he,” she looked down and whispered the next word, “hated,” she looked up again, “being here. Said everyday is... he said it is like torture, Father. He said he missed feeling alive.”

“Father,” God looked to Ishim who had stepped closer to join the conversation. “how could that man compare Heaven to Hell?”

God looked to his children. Although ancient by man's standards they were still children.

“What do you know of Hell, Ishim, My Son?”

Ishim was puzzled, everyone knew about Hell. “It is where the evil go to be tortured.”

“And?” God smiled again.

“I,” Ishim looked to Hadraniel who shrugged, “I don't know what you mean, Father.”

“What do you know of The Redeemed?” God asked.

“The Redeemed are the ones who were accidentally sent to Hell instead of Heaven.” Hadraniel added when Ishim looked blankly at him.

“It was no accident children, they deserved or felt guilty enough to be in Hell.”

“But, Father, if they belong in Hell, why are they here? Was that an accident?” Be'el asked.

“They Deserved, until they didn't, and were Redeemed.”

“Father,” Ishim asked, “does that mean this, Kalon...”

“Of Eridu.” Be'el added.

“Yes, of …there. Do they deserve now to be in Hell?”

“No, No Father, Kalon is a good man. He teaches people how to build with stone and likes to talk with the new Souls about Earth. He said he is tired of just listening to the stories. He said hearing is not the same as doing. He said he wishes he were alive again.” Be'el said emphatically.

“Why do you think Kalon of Eridu would wish to be alive again?” God asked.

And this was one of those moments God foresaw, a grand fork in the road of young Ishim's life. If he would let himself imagine for a moment what it meant to 'be alive', he would go on to wonder and start the process of his own growth now and not in another half-millennia.

“But Heaven is Heaven, Father.” Ishim said.

God sighed. So it would take a while longer for those grandchildren...

God could well remember the more catastrophic path young Lucifer had taken when instead of growth, learning and a quick return to love, the path traveled had instead turned towards a long dark period of devastation. God had hated his own necessary and deliberate inaction, hated his own deliberate silence, but as the paths of the future became clear He could see that it was Lucifer's actions that would elegantly solve The Goddess of Creation situation. Also directly interfering and enabling the positive growth of a race of people. A people that God Himself had been only indirectly involved in guiding the evolution of. The Lilim had the potential to be great. And they were fascinating. It was with great sadness that God had needed to stay quiet until the time was right to be involved. With perhaps just a few 'tweaks' as 'icing on the cake', as The Humans would say, for Lucifer's time of Redemption. Every day God grew more and more proud of Lucifer's growth and he could feel the Hope and Love that now filled his heart, displacing the Anger and Hate.

Now though, it was time to put in place the third-to-last stage in His Grand Plan for His Peoples. Reincarnation. He would need to speak with this Kalon of Eridu.

**Author's Note:**

> I truly feel this is a story of Love and Redemption. And is a Happy story. 
> 
> Tag Warning  
> To get there though, to make friendships, give purpose, explore characters and find redemption I really needed to put out the idea that the real monsters of the universe are (some) humans. I've mentioned the historical murder of a child and the torture that Maze and Lucifer perform that leads to one of the Locked Hell Rooms. Nothing is described or 'experienced', but the rape (implied not described) and murder of a child almost 1000 years ago and the torture of the perpetrator is included (very very briefly). As Ella says in the story the torture is 'justice'. 
> 
> I firmly believe that the details are not excessive and the torture much less vivid than the imagery of Lucifer breaking Julian McCaffrey's back in S4 which if you think about it is waayyy worse as he has to 'live with it'. In my story Dan doesn't want to know the details. It's OK if you don't either. But, I'm sorry I don't know how to embed links to skip sections so when Dan 'leaves' the conversation in Ella's lab, if you want try a 'find' for the words 'Thank you Maze' That will skip the 'bad' part.
> 
> Oh and the part about the wolves that's true, that used to happen.
> 
> I've embellished the McCaffrey confession to describe why I think a good back break is deserved. (No details but you'll see).
> 
> There is one description of a soul in Hell that makes me cry to read and I wrote the thing, so tissue warning too.
> 
> I've used imagery direct from the show, again Lucifer ain't mine I'm just playing.
> 
> It is difficult to pin down time in this show, many episodes run together. So in the end I went with the story being set in 2019 as that is when S4 ends. Trixie is almost 12 because Scarlet is 12. I factor in Trixie was at the end of 7 years old in the Pilot and 8 most of S1. 
> 
> So Feather is nearly finished. I hope it's all makes sense and all my machinations are tying together, I just want everyone to be happy and loved up in this little Lucifer Universe. Including The Demons and The Lilim! At least for a little while before S5! 
> 
> I also suggest you do an image search for 'peacock tissue box'. Just because ;-) 
> 
> Hope to see you in the comments section!


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